Monthly Archives: December 2018

Is RGGI For Transportation About to Happen? All Will Be Revealed in 2019

On Tuesday, nine Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic states participating in the Transportation Climate Initiative – notably not yet including New York – announced that they:

will design a regional low-carbon transportation policy proposal that would cap and reduce carbon emissions from the combustion of transportation fuels through a cap-and-invest program or other pricing mechanism.

It’s a major development.  Electric sector emissions have dropped substantially in recent years and now account for less than half the GHG emissions resulting from transportation. … More

Massachusetts Comprehensive Energy Plan — There’s a Lot to Do.

Last week, the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources released its Comprehensive Energy Plan. It’s a generally solid piece of work, even if it doesn’t say anything hugely surprising. Its various policy recommendations can be summarized fairly easily: electrify and conserve.

The first recommendation is nicely illustrated by this pie chart from the CEP.  In 2016only 17% of Massachusetts’ energy demand of 1,074 trillion BTUs was from the electric sector.… More

The WOTUS Rule and the Purpose of the Clean Water Act

A lot of proverbial ink has been spilled regarding the Trump administration’s proposal to amend the definition of “waters of the United States” under the Clean Water Act.  The administration has focused on what it views as a more reasonable legal interpretation of the historical scope of the term.  It has also emphasized returning authority to the states and providing more certainty to landowners.

Environmentalists have focused on the broader interpretation that has historically been given to the term and that the Scalia opinion in Rapanos did not command a majority of the Court.… More

“Managed Retreat?” — Once More, Scientists Fail to Consult with Branding Specialists

Two seemingly unrelated adaptation stories caught my eye last week.  The first involved efforts by the California Coastal Commission to provide guidance on “Residential Adaptation” to climate change.  The primary reason why the draft guidance is getting so much attention is that the Commission raised the possibility of “managed retreat” in some situations.

I get the point of managed retreat.  It seems preferable to repeatedly bowing to political pressure and bailing out coastal property owners who ignore the risks associated with climate change. … More

Coming Soon To a Major City Near You — Building Energy Efficiency Standards

Members of the New York City Council have introduced a proposal to impose mandatory building energy efficiency standards.  The standards, which vary by building type and use, would apply to buildings greater than 25,000 square feet, though rent-regulated buildings would be exempt.  

The real estate industry is a powerful force in New York City and I believe that our current President may have some views on this legislation. … More