Clean Air Act

     The Clean Air Act (CAA) is the comprehensive federal law that regulates air emissions from stationary and mobile sources.  Established in 1970, the CAA aims to clean and protect air in the United States.  The law authorizes the EPA to establish National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) to protect public health and public welfare and to regulate emissions of hazardous air pollutants.  If an air pollution is determined to be harmful to the health and welfare of current and future generations, it becomes an issue for the CAA.

     

     This is the case with carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions.  In 2009 the EPA found that these emissions are harmful as they cause climate change and ocean acidification.  These gases trap heat in the atmosphere and include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, fluorinated gases and are produced by human activities.  Scientists warn that climate change can lead to more intense weather events causing deaths, and damage to property and infrastructure, among many other problems.  In the past few years, under the CAA, the EPA has been taking steps to limit greenhouse gas pollution.

Growth Areas and Emissions since the inception of the Clean Air Act in 1970

     Between 2010 and 2012, the EPA and the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration issued national greenhouse gas emission standards and fuel economy standards for cars and trucks for model years 2012-2025.  These standards are estimated to save 4 billion barrels of oil and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2 billion metric tons over the lifetimes of light duty vehicles produced in 2017-2025.  In 2011, the EPA and states began requiring preconstruction permits that limit greenhouse gas emissions from large new stationary sources.  As Kelsey has written about, in August of 2015, President Obama and the EPA announced the Clean Power Plan, which is a partnership created by the CAA.  In July of 2015, the EPA finalized a rule that prohibits certain uses of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), a class of potent greenhouse gases.  These HFCs can be found in air-conditioning, refrigeration and other equipment.  With new technologies for this equipment and with the new rule, HFC emissions are estimated to reduce greenhouse gas emissions of 54 to 64 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2025.

     

     Along with the reduction of greenhouse gases, the EPA is also working on protecting the ozone layer.  Under the Clean Air Act there are programs to ensure refrigerants and fire extinguishing agents are recycled properly, ensure that alternatives to ozone-depleting substances are evaluated for their impacts on human health and the environment, and ban the release of ozone-depleting substances during work on air conditioners and other refrigeration equipment.  The EPA also plans to phase-out ozone-depleting substances and continue to minimize the release of chemicals in use.

     The EPA encourages the development of products, technologies, and initiatives that reap co-benefits in climate change.  All of these regulations being taken by the EPA and other actors under the CAA are a good steps towards mitigating the problem of climate change in the United States.  It also encourages other nations to adopt similar strategies to reduce emissions to solve climate change.

Sources

http://www2.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summary-clean-air-act

http://www3.epa.gov/otaq/climate/regulations.htm

http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/0/B1C42A422851C64685257E760057D08F

Focus on Energy and Market Governance

The program I chose to revisit is the Focus on Energy program, also known as the FOE.  This is Wisconsin’s statewide energy-efficiency and renewable resource program that “encourages utility customers to reduce fossil fuel consumption by providing incentives for customers to purchase products and services that are energy efficient or use renewable energy sources”.  The way this works is that there are three different components that make it possible for this program to work.  First of all, the program is funded by utility customers and program administrators whom work with private firms who provide financial incentives for the programs participants. Secondly, private contractors who supply and install energy efficient tools administer the program. For example; wind turbines, solar panels, energy efficient windows and many other resourceful tools that can be used to make a residential or non-residential entity more energy efficient. Finally the FOE program is entirely overseen by the Wisconsin Public Service Commission, (PSC), which is a state government entity that mainly deals with the compliance of state and federal laws and makes sure that everything this program is trying to achieve is legitimate and sound.   

The Focus on Energy program mostly exemplifies the market mode of governance.  Unlike network governance, which involves voluntary participant partnerships between an array of diverse investors to build an accord and the collective will and ability to act around a specific issue, a market form of governance uses financial tools and incentives to direct collective action. Like I said earlier this is purely market-based approach of governance because of the financial incentives given to residential and non-residential entities.  Financial incentives are also given to the companies who produce and manufacture these energy efficient tools, which demonstrates that money is the key factor in making this wheel go round.  Everyone benefits in someway or another.

The actors who are involved in the Focus on Energy program consist of an array of diverse entities.  Obviously the state government is involved in overseeing the program as well as dealing with legal issues and complying with state laws and ordinances.  

As far as utility groups that are involved I will just name of few out of the many companies involved. Here are just a few of a large list; Adams-Columbia Electric, Cooperative Algoma Utilities, Alliant Energy, Arcadia Electric Utility, Argyle Electric & Water Utility, Bangor Municipal Utility, Barron Light & Water, Belmont Municipal Light & Water, Benton Electric & Water Utility, Black Earth Electric Utility, Black River Falls Municipal Utilities, Bloomer Electric & Water Utility, Boscobel Utilities, Brodhead Water & Light, Cadott Light & Water Department, Cashton Light & Water, Cedarburg Light & Water Centuria, Municipal Electric Utility, Clark Electric Cooperative, Clintonville Utilities, Columbus Water & Light Consolidated Water Power Company, Cornell Municipal Light Department, Cuba City Light & Water, Cumberland Municipal Utility, Dahlberg Light & Power Company, Eagle River Light & Water Utility, Eau Claire Energy Cooperative, Elkhorn Light & Water, Elroy Electric & Water Utility, Evansville Water & Light Fennimore, Municipal Utility Florence Utilities and Gresham Water & Electric Plant.  There are about thirty more but I think you get the idea. As far as other non-profit or governmental agencies being involved there are none.

https://focusonenergy.com/about/participating-utilities

http://legis.wisconsin.gov/lab/reports/1 http://www.wri.org/sites/default/files/wi_fact_sheet_final.pdf1-13highlights.htm

Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters

The League of Conservation Voters is a network of people coming together to bring Wisconsin back to its nonpartisan conservation ways. We used to be a model for the nation of Democrats and Republicans working together to do what is best for the land. The nation has seen many conservation leaders come from Wisconsin, including Gaylord Nelson and Aldo Leopold. This group is looking to move our politics back to being able to accomplish great things. As they say, here in Wisconsin the one thing that unites us all is the land. The WLCV was founded on the principle that our natural resources should not be used as a political pawn. Regardless of who is in charge, we need to protect our land, air, and water. 

They lead the way in conservation by working with many different actors, operating with integrity, and keeping focus on our natural resources, not politics. The WLCV engages with many individuals to get many different viewpoints and political persuasions. They work with grassroot groups, elected officials, and regular citizens. They keep all of their positions publicly available so that people are aware of what they are working on at all times. Most importantly, they focus on issues affecting the air, water, and land.

The WLCV has diverse board of directors that bring in many different viewpoints. People working as professional engineers, English professors, retired attorneys, and even former Kohl's vice presidents are advising the league on what is important and what needs to be worked on. In addition to this they get the viewpoints of everyone from grassroot groups to elected officials. They work as a community to take action and rely on their members to be an active part of the society. 

The WLCV believes that we can combat climate change if we act quickly. Here in Wisconsin, we have the ability to harness clean energy that will help reduce our negative impact on the climate while also providing new jobs, giving Wisconsin energy independence, and strengthening the economy. In order to achieve this goal, the WLCV must: support the clean, safe, renewable generation of energy; support the safe, efficient transportation of energy; and support the conservation of energy. 

Here in Wisconsin, the effects of climate change are already being felt. That is why WLCV has teamed up with partners at the League of Conservation Voters to create the campaign "Climate Action Wisconsin". They are demanding that Senator Ron Johnson stop denying climate change and do something to help fix our problem. As I mentioned in my last blog post, Obama recently enacted the Clean Power Plan, which is supposed to combat climate change by reducing carbon emissions. Ron Johnson, along with Scott Walker and Brad Schimel, are opposing the Clean Power Plan and suing the federal government for its limitations. Ron Johnson denies climate change by saying it is just "sunspot activity". Currently the WLCV is working to hold people like Ron Johnson responsible for denying climate change, as well as petitioning to support the Clean Power Plan. 

Here is their newest add against Ron Johnson:

Each week they also update their newsroom, which lets voters know which bills and plans are being worked on in the government. They provide an explanation of why they think voters should be opposing or supporting. This weeks NEWSROOM notices are: support LRB 2463: Improving Rail Safety, support LRB 0761: Reestablishing a Wisconsin Conservation Corps, and oppose LRB 3793 & LRB 3830: Privatizing Wisconsin’s Water. You can use the link above for more information. 

For more information on the Wisconsin League of Conservation you can visit their website, their facebook, or their twitter account. 

Sources

http://conservationvoters.org/about/nonpartisan/ 

http://conservationvoters.org/issues/energy-and-climate/ 

http://conservationvoters.org/issues/forward-on-climate-change/
http://conservationvoters.org/about/board/ 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6Sv0StGvOQ 

Obama's Clean Power Plan

Climate change is having a huge impact already on people all over. Temperatures are rising, with the ten warmest years on record have occurred since 1998. Extreme weather disasters are costing the American economy huge amounts of money, 2012 cost more than $100 billion. We are also seeing an increase in health problems due to climate change, like asthma and food-born illness. Greenhouse gases are a huge contributor to climate change, which is what President Obama is hoping to combat.

"WE CAN CHOOSE TO BELIEVE THAT SUPERSTORM SANDY, AND THE MOST SEVERE DROUGHT IN DECADES, AND THE WORST WILDFIRES SOME STATES HAVE EVER SEEN WERE ALL JUST A FREAK COINCIDENCE. OR WE CAN CHOOSE TO BELIEVE IN THE OVERWHELMING JUDGMENT OF SCIENCE — AND ACT BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE." - PRESIDENT OBAMA

      

President Obama has been working hard to take action against climate change. He understands that now is the time to battle against climate change, because soon it will be too late to fix the problems we have caused. After two years in the making, President Obama and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the Clean Power Plan on August 3rd, 2015. This historic plan will be used to decreased carbon dioxide emissions from power plants and increase the role energy efficiency and renewable energy. The action plan will protect public health, reduce energy bills for households and businesses, create American jobs, and bring clean power to communities all around the country. 

Power plants in the U.S. are the largest source of emissions, accounting for about one-third of all greenhouse gas pollution. It seems only logical that we would work towards reducing emissions from said power plants. The Clean Power Plan sets standards to reduce CO2 emissions by 32% from our 2005 levels by 2030. This is the first time we have established national standards. The plan does allow for states to develop tailored plans to meet these standards. 

Key Features of the Plan:

• Allow flexibility for states to choose how they will meet the new standards. States will make new plans to make sure that their power plants are meeting the CO2 emission standards. This flexibility also allows for states to engage in an emission credit market with other states. Low-carbon electricity generation technologies can also be included in the plans. 
• Offer more time to states when paired with incentives for early deployment of clean energy. State plans are due September 2016, but states can request extensions up to two years if they need more time. 
• Create jobs and save money. The Clean Power Plan is pushing for newer, cleaner technologies. This will create many new jobs as we expand in the area of clean energy. Furthermore, the plan calls for 28% of our energy to come from renewables by 2030. This will reduce energy costs for the American people. 
• Rewards for early investment in clean energy. Credits will be given to states that generate electricity from renewables in 2020 and 2021. Double the credits will be given to those in areas of low-income communities. 
• Grid reliability. States must address reliability in their plans. 
• U.S. leadership on climate change. The U.S. wants to continue to lead the world in taking action against climate change, especially going into the Paris climate talks in December.
• State targets set in a way that is fair and directly responsive to their input. 
• Energy efficiency is a key tool. Efficiency could save enough energy to power 30 million homes. 
• States must engage with vulnerable populations. States must meet with minority, low-income, and tribal communities when making their plans. They are also urged to meet with workers in the utility sector.
• EPA also released a proposed federal plan. This plan can be a model for states. 

For those that would like to know more about it, here is the Clean Power Plan. 

If you are looking to learn more about climate change and ways to combat it, I urge you to take a look at the White House's page on Climate Change. 

Each state is developing a plan to meet the standards set by the Federal Government and EPA. So, what does this mean for Wisconsin? Wisconsin has a moderate state goal, based on power plants and coal dependency. The EPA says that Wisconsin already has legislation and energy sources in place that should make this transition easier. Wisconsin needs its elected officials to take the steps to improve our emissions and reduce our reliance on coal, oil, and fossil fuels. Currently, Wisconsin is protesting the new plan by filing a federal lawsuit against sections of Obama's plan, joining 23 other states that have already filed lawsuits. 

Sources:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/climate-change#section-lead-international-efforts 

https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/08/03/fact-sheet-president-obama-announce-historic-carbon-pollution-standards 

http://www2.epa.gov/cleanpowerplan/clean-power-plan-existing-power-plants 

http://www.sierraclub.org/wisconsin/blog/2015/08/wisconsins-clean-power-plan 

http://fox6now.com/2015/11/03/wisconsin-joins-23-others-in-filing-federal-lawsuit-against-another-section-of-obamas-clean-power-plan/ 

FOE

Climate change is a huge problem that our planet faces.  If it is not addressed properly and solved, future generations will be effected with dire consequences resulting in a diminished quality of life for all living things on this planet.  Whether it is a global, federal, state, or local effort to solve this problem we are definitely on the right track.  The tool I chose for this blog post is called Focus on Energy (FOE).  This is Wisconsin’s statewide energy-efficiency and renewable resource program that “encourages utility customers to reduce fossil fuel consumption by providing incentives for customers to purchase products and services that are energy efficient or use renewable energy sources”. The design of this program is that it is funded by utility customers and administered by private contractors, which is then entirely overseen by the Wisconsin Public Service Commission, (PSC).  The PSC’s oversight of FOE “must comply with statutory requirements to report annually to the Legislature and to prepare annual statements of program costs and benefits for utility customers”. They also “evaluate results from other utility-operated energy-efficiency and renewable resource programs in its reports to the Legislature”.  

The FOE covers residential and non-residential entities that benefit through this program by saving money on utility bills, conserving energy and contributing to reducing green house gasses. Residential entities are able to be more energy efficient through multiple ways, from installing energy efficient windows to solar panels.  These are just a few examples, but in the long run the consumer will save a substantial amount of money.  Similar to residential, non-residential entities such as farms are given incentives to build solar panels and wind turbines to become more energy efficient. Farms are just an example from one side of the non-residential spectrum, but this program is also applied to entities such as coal-fired power plants and other industrial/manufacturing entities. This program being applied to a coal-fired power plant could contribute to the reduction of our states GHG emissions and hopefully stray Wisconsin from using such methods for energy. The incentives for both of these include tax breaks and long-term financial savings. This works due to the programs administrator working with private firms whom provide financial incentives for the programs participants. Other bonuses include training and educating customers and providing help and tech support to the companies responsible for developing and selling these products and services.  All in all this program has major benefits to everyone involved and is a necessary tool in combating climate change on a state level.

http://legis.wisconsin.gov/lab/reports/1 http://www.wri.org/sites/default/files/wi_fact_sheet_final.pdf1-13highlights.htm