Updates from CEQ

Friends and colleagues,

Over the last week the Administration took new steps to move forward the President’s Climate Action Plan to cut carbon pollution, prepare our nation for the impacts of climate change, and lead international efforts to combat this global threat:

·         Quadrennial Energy Review: On Wednesday, President Obama signed a memorandum establishing the federal government’s first Quadrennial Energy Review (QER) process, fulfilling an important commitment from his Climate Action Plan and ensuring that federal energy policies continue to meet the nation’s economic, environmental, and security goals. Over the next four years, the QER will provide a comprehensive review of these policies in the context of a changing energy landscape. You can read the press release here and related blog post here.

·         New Youth & Conservation Initiative: On Wednesday January 8, as part of an ambitious initiative to engage and employ the next generation through America’s great outdoors, Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell announced a public-private partnership with American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. that will help reach Interior’s goal of providing 100,000 work and training opportunities to young people and veterans on public lands. The funding commitment is the first pledge toward Jewell’s target of raising $20 million from private partners by 2017 to support the 21st Century Conservation Service Corps (21CSC).

·         DOT opens up transit funding for low emission vehicles: On Thursday, January 9, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced the availability of nearly $25 million through its new Low or No Emission Vehicle Deployment Program (LoNo). The program will put a new generation of advanced, non-polluting transit buses on the road in communities nationwide.

·         The Clean Energy Economy in Three Charts: On Monday January 6, Dan Utech, the Director for Energy and Climate Change at the White House Domestic Policy Council, posted a blog highlighting the strength of the clean energy economy in the U.S.  He explains how clean energy technology costs are continuing to come down, and that these technologies are producing more American energy than ever before. You can now follow Dan Utech on twitter @Utech44

·         “Polar Vortex” and Extreme Weather Explained: President Obama's Science and Technology Advisor, Dr. John Holdren, explained the polar vortex in a short video released on Wednesday. The White House also held an online conversation discussing why climate change makes extreme weather more likely going forward.

Finally, next week on January 14, the White House will host an event with Women Leaders in Climate Change Finance and Investment to highlight success stories of women in the financial sector and opportunities for climate-smart investment. The event will be live-streamed at 10am at www.whitehouse.gov/live. Join the conversation and ask your question by Tweeting #ActOnClimate

As always, we welcome your statements and input; please send them to us at [log in to unmask], and remember to join the conversation online using #ActOnClimate.

Best,

Rohan Patel

Associate Director
White House Council on Environmental Quality

Stay Connected

Sign Up for Updates from the White House

The White House • 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW • Washington, DC 20500 • 202-456-1111