Not satisfied with its efforts to regulate carbon, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is beginning a two-month comment period on new proposed rules that would tighten emissions restrictions on power plants that burn coal and oil.
If adopted, these new rules will raise power production costs, perhaps forcing the closure of the oldest plants, and making new ones more expensive. Read More
James Madison, whose birthday we celebrated Wednesday, wrote in an 1822 letter: “Religion and government will both exist in greater purity the less they are mixed together.” Read More
Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, along with 19 other Republican governors, penned a letter to President Barack Obama Friday contending that regulations on greehouse gases and power plants being pursued by the Environmental Protection Agency could hamper economic growth and affect the country’s long-term prosperity. Read More
Government mandates to auto manufacturers to build greener vehicles and tax subsidies to consumers who buy them will result in lower emissions, right?
Well, that's not what has happened in Sweden, according to Autoblog: Read More
"Blue smoke and mirrors" is a particularly apt phrase to describe the way Washington politicians in both major parties create annual budgets. "Rosy scenario" is another.
Call it what you will, healthy public policy cannot be based on fantasy foundations. Read More
A U.S. Environmental Protection Agency official crowed about his agency's decision to issue an emergency order stopping a natural gas drilling operation in Texas to Big Green environmentalists before informing state officials of the action, according to emails and sworn statements obtained by Energy in Depth (EID).
The emergency order was issued despite objections from an EPA scientists that there was insufficient data available to justify it. Read More
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson let the cat out of the bag this morning during her first-ever testimony before the House Energy and Commerce Committee since voters returned Republicans to the majority.
Seems that Jackson cited a study by the Political Economy Research Institute (PERI) to justify her agency's claim that regulating greenhouse gases will actually boost the economy by creating jobs. Read More
President Barack Obama’s new interest in curbing federal regulation is, on its face, an encouraging development. But by focusing his “Improving Regulation” executive order narrowly on regulations adopted through formal rulemaking, the president’s attempt at reform is at best a half-measure. Read More
Last week, the Environmental Protection Agency revoked the permit — approved and functioning — of one of the nation’s largest coal mines for unacceptable environmental impact, calling it “mountaintop removal.”
It’s the EPA’s first-ever ex-post-facto shutdown of an in-work industrial operation with a valid permit. Read More
That's right! From Major Garrett's front-page National Journal story: "Seeing Red: John Boehner's troops are spoiling for a fight, but the speaker wants to aim before he shoots." And another heading on the cover: "Coming salvos against the Fed." Meanwhile in the table of contents are the following headlines: "The lesser evil," "Two-front war," and "Hostile takeover." (I exclude "The War of Law" just because it's a story about an actual war.) Read More
