DC Updates

3/2/12

1.       EPA and Federal Highlights

Carbon Protections (NSPS Rule) for New Power Plants Queued up for Next Week John Coeuyt, [log in to unmask]




We are expecting the Obama Administration to announce the proposed new source performance standards for new power plants next week. 



We believe this standard will be as expected, contrary to some rumors.  In other words, it will be set at a level (1,100 lbs/mwh) that will require CCS for new coal plants that begin construction after next spring.  We are readying our press and electronic response to support and defend the rule as we anticipate our opponents will ramp up their attacks. 



Coordinated Clean Air Act Defense Campaign Melinda Pierce, [log in to unmask] /202.675.7912



As part of the coordinated Clean Air Act Defense Campaign, the Sierra Club will be launching a new TV ad, "Capitol Kids" on March 6th in parts of OH, PA and Norfolk, VA. This complements an ad run by NRDC inside the beltway. The ad, which will run until March 23, seeks to build support for strong air pollution standards to protect kids’ health.  



See the script below:

If every polluter’s lobbyist around Congress was suddenly replaced by severely asthmatic children,

Then maybe, Congress wouldn’t always be trying to gut clean air standards.

After all, emissions like carbon, mercury, and arsenic contribute to thousands of hospital visits, severe asthma attacks, and even deaths.

If they could only see it, maybe they’d stop it.  Support the President’s and the EPA’s clean air standards and support our kids.

2.       C4 - Other Federal Highlights: 

Senate Action on Transportation Bill:  Melinda Pierce, [log in to unmask] /202.675.7912




The Senate has begun consideration of amendments on their version of the transportation bill today in hopes of dispensing with the non-germane amendments. Reid offered the Republicans a vote on the Blunt amendment, on contraception, which was ultimately tabled but they are insisting on votes on several other controversial amendments, including approval of Keystone XL, delay of the Boiler MACT standard, offshore drilling, and possibly Cement-MACT. 




These amendments which will require 50 votes to pass are expected Tuesday or Wednesday of next week if the Senate can come to some sort of agreement over the weekend on limiting other amendments.  Amendments on Mercury standards pending




 Senator Inhofe's move to block the mercury rule (SJ Res 37): John Coeuyt, [log in to unmask]




No significant update or action as of yet, but we think we could see movement on Senator Inhofe's Mercury Air Toxics CRA as early as March 7th. 




Clean Water Update: Mountain Top Removal Dalal Aboulhosn, [log in to unmask] /202.675.6278




The House Natural Resources Committee voted this week to block the Interior Department from issuing new surface mining regulations through 2013. Republicans want to block the stream buffer zone rule, which was altered near the end of the George W. Bush administration and is being rewritten by Interior and its Office of Surface Mining.




The bill, H.R. 3409, would provide “a timeout that will give OSM an opportunity to meet the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act and to generate a legally defensible regulation,” said Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee Chairman Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.) during Wednesday’s markup.




Democrats criticized the measure, saying it is designed to kneecap the agency. “The bill under consideration is designed to stop the OSM from doing its job,” Rep. Rush Holt (D-N.J.) said. “It may be called a timeout but essentially it is a total emasculation of the agency.”




Holt also expressed concern that the bill’s language is broad enough to block any regulation, not just the stream buffer zone rule. “As I read it, it could affect every rule and regulation because there is this phrase that is used: ‘May not issue or approve any proposed or final regulation,’” he said.




The bill would block regulations that adversely affect coal industry employment, reduce available coal or block some areas from coal exploration.

The Sierra Club opposed the bill.  Our letter of opposition is attached. 




Dirty Fuels Update Lena Moffit, [log in to unmask] / 202.675.2396




The Dirty Fuels coalition continues our effort to beat back a proposed amendment to the transportation bill that would approve the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline. Senator Hoeven has offered his legislation, which would authorize immediate construction of the Keystone XL pipeline and preemptively approve any route for the project chosen by the state of Nebraska (even though a route through the state does not even yet exist). This is one of a few controversial amendments to the transportation bill that the Republicans are demanding a vote on, so we have been doing everything we can to ensure we have the support of the requisite 41 Democratic senators needed to defeat it. Right now, the numbers are not great and the margins will be very slim, though we think, ultimately, we will succeed. To this end, we have engaged our grasstops, grassroots (via amazing online advocacy drive by our new Beyond Oil online organizer, Nathan Empsall, and Jesse Danzig), and the media, with special help from Eddie Scher and Trey Pollard. 




As noted in other sections, the political turmoil surrounding the Transportation bill has delayed a vote, for now, though we expect this may come up on Tuesday evening of next week, once an agreement is reached. 



- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
To unsubscribe from the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to:
[log in to unmask]

Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information:
http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp

To view the Sierra Club List Terms & Conditions, see:
 http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/terms.asp