Welcome to Overnight Energy, your source for the day’s energy and environment news.Please send tips and comments to Rachel Frazin at [email protected] . Follow her on Twitter: @RachelFrazin . Reach Zack Budryk at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter: @BudrykZack . Signup for our newsletter and others HERE.
Today we’re looking at the Biden administration’s reported 2030 emissions target, the return of the Green New Deal resolution and an inspector general report that raised concerns about the rulemaking process behind a fuel economy and vehicle emissions rollback.
EMISSION POSSIBLE? Biden reportedly will pledge to halve US emissions by 2030
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The Biden administration is expected to commit to cutting U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50 percent by 2030, two people briefed on the matter told The Washington Post.
A White House spokesperson declined The Hill’s request for comment. A White House official told the Post that a final decision hadn’t been made.
Biden is slated to announce his emissions reduction target for 2030 on Thursday, updating the country’s commitment under the Paris Agreement.
Every several years, countries update their interim targets under the global climate agreement, which aims to limit the planet’s warming to less than 2 degrees celsius over pre-industrial levels.
Read more about the reported cuts here and read our deeper dive into the updated targets here.
DEAL ME IN: Ocasio-Cortez, Markey reintroduce Green New Deal resolution
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-CortezAlexandria Ocasio-CortezOcasio-Cortez: Chauvin ‘verdict is not a substitute for policy change’ Overnight Energy: Biden reportedly will pledge to halve US emissions by 2030 | Ocasio-Cortez, Markey reintroduce Green New Deal resolution House rejects GOP resolution to censure Waters MORE (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Ed MarkeyEd MarkeyLawmakers react to guilty verdict in Chauvin murder trial: ‘Our work is far from done’ Overnight Energy: Biden reportedly will pledge to halve US emissions by 2030 | Ocasio-Cortez, Markey reintroduce Green New Deal resolution Ocasio-Cortez, Markey reintroduce Green New Deal resolution MORE (D-Mass.) on Tuesday reintroduced a resolution in support of a Green New Deal.
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The resolution, which would be an expression of congressional sentiment rather than a law, says that it’s the government’s duty to create a Green New Deal that can be accomplished through a 10-year national mobilization.
OK but how? It calls for meeting the country’s power demand through zero-emission energy sources and “overhauling” transportation to remove pollution through investing in zero-emission vehicles, public transit and high-speed rail.
The politics: The Green New Deal resolution, first introduced in 2019, has become a political lightning rod, as the idea has been embraced by progressives, but fiercely rejected by Republicans who have sought to paint it as extreme.
The lawmakers said Tuesday that they hope to go beyond what Biden has proposed on climate.
Yes, and: Markey said during Tuesday’s press conference that he and Ocasio-Cortez are also introducing a Civilian Climate Corps bill to put people to work and help the environment.
Read more about the resolution here.
NHT SO FAST: EPA staff warned of factual, legal issues in Trump vehicle climate rollback, watchdog says
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) staff warned of factual and legal issues in a Trump administration joint vehicle climate rollback issued with a Department of Transportation agency, an internal government watchdog said.
A report from the office of the EPA’s inspector general raised the concerns about the interagency collaboration between the EPA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in a new report issued on Tuesday.
The report said that EPA technical staff told leadership that they hadn’t seen about 650 pages of the 1,000-page rule before it was sent to the White House for review because of a “lack of interagency collaboration at the technical level.”
The rule, which was primarily put together by NHTSA, had “numerous errors and inaccuracies” when it was submitted for interagency review, the inspector general said, citing comments by the EPA.
The report said that then-EPA Administrator Andrew WheelerAndrew WheelerOvernight Energy: Biden reportedly will pledge to halve US emissions by 2030 | Ocasio-Cortez, Markey reintroduce Green New Deal resolution EPA staff warned of factual, legal issues in Trump vehicle climate rollback, watchdog says The Hill’s Morning Report – Biden: Let’s make a deal on infrastructure, taxes MORE, who was tapped to lead the agency by former President TrumpDonald TrumpSt. Louis lawyer who pointed gun at Black Lives Matter protesters considering Senate run Chauvin found guilty as nation exhales US says Iran negotiations are ‘positive’ MORE, ultimately signed the rulemaking “with many comments unaddressed by NHTSA.”
It also said that in 2019, technical staff “reported that the continued failure to correct errors could leave the rule legally vulnerable.”
Read more about what the watchdog had to say here.
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BILL WATCH: Lawmakers introduce several environmental measures
So far this week, lawmakers have introduced a number of energy and environment related bills (Happy Earth Week y’all. It’s already exhausting.) Here are some that are on our radar:
- Today, Sens. Mike BraunMichael BraunTim Scott: ‘No question’ Floyd jury reached ‘the right verdict’ Overnight Energy: Biden reportedly will pledge to halve US emissions by 2030 | Ocasio-Cortez, Markey reintroduce Green New Deal resolution 15 Senate Republicans pledge to oppose lifting earmark ban MORE (R-Ind.), Debbie StabenowDeborah (Debbie) Ann StabenowOvernight Energy: Biden reportedly will pledge to halve US emissions by 2030 | Ocasio-Cortez, Markey reintroduce Green New Deal resolution Serious about climate change? Get serious about agriculture Five things to watch on Biden infrastructure plan MORE (D-Mich.), Lindsey GrahamLindsey Olin GrahamOvernight Energy: Biden reportedly will pledge to halve US emissions by 2030 | Ocasio-Cortez, Markey reintroduce Green New Deal resolution The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by Facebook – GOP draws line on taxes; nation braces for Chauvin verdict Senate GOP faces post-Trump spending brawl MORE (R-S.C.), and Sheldon WhitehouseSheldon WhitehouseOvernight Energy: Biden reportedly will pledge to halve US emissions by 2030 | Ocasio-Cortez, Markey reintroduce Green New Deal resolution Democrats seek Barrett’s recusal from case tied to conservative backers For a win on climate, let’s put our best player in the game MORE (D-R.I.) reintroduced legislation to help farmers and foresters interested in participate in carbon markets
- Yesterday, Rep. Bruce WestermanBruce Eugene WestermanOvernight Energy: Biden reportedly will pledge to halve US emissions by 2030 | Ocasio-Cortez, Markey reintroduce Green New Deal resolution Democrats battle over best path for Puerto Rico House GOP’s planned environmental bills drop Democratic priorities MORE (R-Ark.) reintroduced a new version of his “Trillion Trees” bill, which seeks to increase tree planting and conservation
- Today, Rep. Earl BlumenauerEarl BlumenauerOvernight Energy: Biden reportedly will pledge to halve US emissions by 2030 | Ocasio-Cortez, Markey reintroduce Green New Deal resolution Democrats offer competing tax ideas on Biden infrastructure Democrats have a growing tax problem with SALT MORE (D-Ore.) reintroduced a bill aiming to make industry pay for Superfund cleanup
- Today, Sen. Michael BennetMichael Farrand BennetOvernight Energy: Biden reportedly will pledge to halve US emissions by 2030 | Ocasio-Cortez, Markey reintroduce Green New Deal resolution Democrats get good news from IRS Senators press for answers in Space Command move decision MORE (D-Colo.) and Reps. Reps. Jason CrowJason CrowOvernight Energy: Biden reportedly will pledge to halve US emissions by 2030 | Ocasio-Cortez, Markey reintroduce Green New Deal resolution Five questions about Biden withdrawal from Afghanistan Managers seek to make GOP think twice about Trump acquittal MORE (D-Colo.) and Mike SimpsonMIchael (Mike) Keith SimpsonOvernight Energy: Biden reportedly will pledge to halve US emissions by 2030 | Ocasio-Cortez, Markey reintroduce Green New Deal resolution House passes bills providing citizenship path for Dreamers, farmworkers Marjorie Taylor Greene’s delay tactics frustrate GOP MORE (R-Idaho) reintroduced legislation aiming to create and sustain jobs in forest and watershed restoration
ON TAP TOMORROW:
- The House Appropriations Committee will hold a hearing on the EPA’s budget request for next year. Administrator Michael ReganMichael ReganBiden dispatches Cabinet members to sell infrastructure plan Overnight Energy: Biden reportedly will pledge to halve US emissions by 2030 | Ocasio-Cortez, Markey reintroduce Green New Deal resolution Watch live: Biden Cabinet officials testify on infrastructure plan MORE is slated to appear.
- The House Science, Space and Technology Committee will hold a hearing titled “Working towards climate equity: the case for a federal climate service
WHAT WE’RE READING:
La. race an energy fight between Dems in ‘Cancer Alley,’ E&E News reports
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China’s Solar Dominance Presents Biden With an Ugly Dilemma, The New York Times reports
Audubon CEO resigns after complaints of toxic workplace, Politico reports
U.S. House panel advances bill allowing anti-trust suits against OPEC, Reuters reports
Fossil fuel interests say they’re allies of communities of color. The NAACP disagree, Grist reports
ICYMI: Stories from Tuesday (and Monday night)…
EPA staff warned of factual, legal issues in Trump vehicle climate rollback, watchdog says
IEA predicts 5 percent rise in global CO2 emissions from energy this year
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Ocasio-Cortez, Markey reintroduce Green New Deal resolution
Exxon pitches $100B carbon storage project
Three people charged in Fiat Chrysler emissions scandal
Biden administration kicks off 100-day plan to shore up cybersecurity of electric grid
Biden to set major climate change goal this week
Power companies back regulations that cut electric emissions 80 percent
GAO raises concerns about government inspections of offshore pipelines
Biden to commit to halving US emissions by 2030: report
SOMETHING OFFBEAT AND (KIND OF) OFF BEAT: A company is purposefully selling a bad-tasting beer to make a point about climate change. So you’re telling us beer can actually get worse???
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