HAPPY NEW YEAR

                                                           

                                                    

                                                            Roscommon/Crawford Chapter

                                                                         Happy New Year

 

We are beginning the new year with a surprising amount of good news on the climate change front.

As the potential shutdown of the federal government loomed in late December because of government inaction on budget matters, at the last minute, the lame duck Congress passed a new budget bill with a price tag of $2.3 trillion dollars. The bill that fixes the budget and prevents the shut-down is the omnibus spending bill that was passed on December 22 and was subsequently signed by the President despite his threats and grumbling. The bill was debated until the last moment due to arguments around the $900 billion coronavirus relief portion of the bill and the debate over $600 vs. $2,000 stimulus. Congress finally issued the bill with the $600 provision.

The new omnibus spending bill, known as H.R. 133, is a sprawling 5,593-page bill covering a range of topics, including several that have been supported by Citizens Climate Lobby by dint of the efforts by our (largely) volunteer workers. The most important is the section on clean energy reforms, R&D enhancements, energy efficiency incentives, and clean energy tax credits expected to create hundreds of thousands of jobs across our nation. The package also phases out the use of those super polluting hydrofluorocarbons, known to be persistent atmospheric pollutants that act as powerful greenhouse gases. Finally, we have taken action on this “no-brainer” despite lobbying by industry who have shamelessly asked to continue the old practice of venting the poison to the atmosphere.

The new package of spending also authorizes billions toward research and modernization of nearly every energy source, including investments in energy efficiency and grid modernization as well as direct air-capture projects. The bill extends tax credits for wind and solar projects, with a particular boost for offshore wind. It also authorizes federally backed demonstration projects for geothermal, advanced nuclear, and steadily increases funds and expands the mission for the Energy Department. And the spending bill tacks on a provision creating a program aimed at curbing emissions from industrial sources, which are particularly difficult to reduce.

Other provisions would re-authorize and expand the Weatherization Assistance Program, and boost energy efficiency programs aimed at data centers, schools and federal buildings, and set a goal that federal lands produce 25 gigawatts of electricity from wind, solar and geothermal projects by 2025. The package also includes portions from the USE IT Act, a top priority of outgoing Environment and Public Works Chair John Barrasso that would boost carbon capture and direct air capture technologies. It also creates a new program to help low-income families struggling to pay their water bills.

Yet another section of the act authorizes expenditures for efforts to adapt our nation’s fisheries to the impacts of climate change. It requires the Comptroller General of the United States to submit a report to Congress examining efforts by the Regional Fishery Management Councils, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, and the National Marine Fisheries Service to prepare and adapt to the impact of Climate Change on the nations fisheries.

Lest you think that only the federal government is on the band wagon, you should know that states and cities have also announced projects for reducing air pollution. New York City is one of those in the lead as they have authorized city expenditures for reducing emissions from their buildings by implementing new building standards for emissions. Many would expect that building standards apply

only to new construction, but New York has begun work on renovation of old buildings with novel practices that seem extraordinary in their vision.

Under the innovative plan, old buildings are to have all their energy consuming systems (heat, light, air conditioning, etc.) consolidated and controlled at a central point by new technology devices. The buildings will have all new insulated pipes, wires, and other energy transfer devices running from the central control to the outside of each building so that re-working expensive interior infrastructure is unnecessary. Then, entire buildings will be incapsulated with an insulating shell that minimizes heat and cooling losses and controls light and radiation. Demonstration projects of these ideas have proven their efficacy and work has already begun on some older structures.

But all the news is not positive. The respected International Energy Agency (IEA) has conducted an analysis showing that over the course of 2020, improvement in global energy investment was below 1%, the lowest rate of improvement in the last 10 years and only 1/3 of what is needed to meet the Paris Climate Accords. Other news from IEA indicates that they expect the use of coal for generating energy will continue to increase in Asia, despite the known damage to the environment. Our Climate Change Czar for global activities, John Kerry, will have a big job ahead.

On a personal note, I continue to be amazed at my neighbors, our nearby shops, and virtually all our big cities in their wanton waste of energy. Why do folks persist in leaving their lights on at all hours of the night? Every picture I have seen of New York’s skyscrapers nearly always shows a night sky with their buildings lit by thousands of lights. Can’t we turn the unnecessary lights off to prevent wasted energy and keep our air a little cleaner? It’s such an easy thing that I do automatically. Sheeeze.