WebMemo posted July 8, 2004 by Charli E. Coon
As Reliable as the Groundhog: Kyoto's Proponents Are Back
Unlike the pesky
cicadas that have the courtesy to annoy the nation's capital only
once every seventeen years, misguided legislative proposals are an
everyday occurrence on Capitol Hill. The periodic reemergence of a
certain piece of irresponsible climate change legislation is no
exception.
Senators John
McCain (R-AZ) and Joseph Lieberman (D-CT) may try to…
WebMemo posted June 15, 2004 by Charli E. Coon
The Energy Bill Returns: Still a Missed Opportunity
Last year's
House-passed energy conference report returns to the House floor
for a vote this week as H.R. 4503, the Energy Policy Act of 2004.
Given the adverse impact that high energy prices can have on
consumers and the overall economy, House leadership has,
appropriately, included national energy policy as part of its
"job agenda."
But while…
WebMemo posted May 24, 2004 by Charli E. Coon
Pumping Gas: What Consumers See Is Different Than What They Get
The average retail
price for gasoline sold in the United States increased by 7.6 cents
per gallon last week. The price per gallon is more than 50 cents
higher than a year ago at this time, and the summer driving season,
with its increased demand, hasn't even officially started yet. As
of May 17, 2004, consumers were paying more than $2 dollars per
gallon for…
Executive Memorandum posted May 19, 2004 by Charli E. Coon
Congressional Mandates Contribute to Higher Gas Prices
Members of Congress have already received
complaints from their constituents about high gasoline prices, and
the summer driving season--with its increased demand--has not even
started. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) expects
gasoline prices to remain high and volatile throughout the summer
months. While government policies are not the sole reason for…
Backgrounder posted March 17, 2004 by Charli E. Coon
Energy Bill Too Weighted Down to Power the Country
The
good news is that U.S. Senate leaders have drafted a scaled-back
energy bill: the Energy Policy Act of 2003 (S. 2095). The Senate
bill would slash about $17 billion from the conference report, the
Energy Policy Act of 2003 (H.R. 6), making the 10-year price tag
for this package around $14 billion instead of $31.1 billion.
The
bad news is that the new, leaner…
WebMemo posted February 27, 2004 by Ronald D. Utt, Ph.D., Charli E. Coon
More Corporate Welfare Embedded in the Farm Bill
Among the many
troubling provisions of the costly farm bill signed into law by
President Bush in 2002 were several to provide even more federal
subsidies to rural electric cooperatives, which are already heavily
subsidized. These co-ops produce and distribute low-cost power and
telephone service to those lucky enough to live in the rural areas
they serve. When these…
WebMemo posted January 21, 2004 by Alison Acosta Fraser, Charli E. Coon
A Responsible Energy Policy
In his State of
the Union Address, President Bush rightly called for a reliable
energy policy, one that decreases our dependence on foreign energy.
Demand for energy is fast outpacing supply, and this imbalance is
growing.
The path away from
dependence does not involve the government selecting winners and
losers through mandates, subsidies, and giveaways. Instead…
WebMemo posted November 18, 2003 by Charli E. Coon
The Energy Policy Act of 2003 -- A Missed Opportunity
House and Senate
conferees have reconciled their differences and approved the
long-awaited energy bill, the Energy Policy Act of 2003 (H.R.
6).
Though the bill
has some good provisions it fails to adequately enhance domestic
energy supplies, a major missed opportunity to ensure reliable and
affordable energy for American families and businesses.
The…
WebMemo posted October 17, 2003 by Charli E. Coon
How Congress Can Ensure Reliable and Affordable Energy Supplies
In its rush to
send an energy bill to the President for his signature before the
end of this year, there is growing concern that Congress will pass
a bill that panders to a host of special interest groups, fails to
adequately boost domestic supplies of energy, and is an energy bill
in name only.
There is still
time, however, for the conferees to improve the…
WebMemo posted September 23, 2003 by Charli E. Coon
Electricity Policy: Short-Term Solutions, Long-Term Considerations
Increases in electricity demand have strained the nation's
transmission system. The recent blackouts - leaving millions in the
Midwest, Northeast, and Canada without power - underscore the need
for capital investments in transmission lines.
Regrettably, current policies actually discourage the necessary
investment. However, Congress has the opportunity - with the…