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Today we’re looking at the Biden administration’s goals on land conservation, Republican plans to tie the president to gas price hikes and a measure to create a national network of electric vehicle charging stations.
30 ROCK: Biden administration conservation goals to include ‘different categories’ of lands, official says
The Biden administration’s conservation goals will include “different categories” of lands on which varying activities may occur, the leader of the White House’s environment council told The Hill.
White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) Chair Brenda Mallory
Brenda MalloryUS, Canadian governments to collaborate on green government-operations initiative OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Senate confirms Mallory to lead White House environment council | US emissions dropped 1.7 percent in 2019 | Interior further delays Trump rule that would make drillers pay less to feds Senate confirms Biden’s pick to lead White House environmental council MORE said in a Monday interview the administration will soon put out new information on President Biden
Joe BidenCensus results show White House doubling down on failure Poll: Americans back new spending, tax hikes on wealthy, but remain wary of economic impact True immigration reform requires compromise from both sides of the aisle MORE’s goal of conserving 30 percent of the country’s lands and waters by 2030.
Asked if there are any types of activities, like energy development, that wouldn’t be allowed on land that’s considered protected, Mallory said, “you’ll see when we issue this that there are different categories of lands.”
“There are lands that are more working lands and what occurs on those lands may vary,” she said.
What else is the council handling?: The council also deals with how a bedrock environmental law called the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which requires environmental analyses ahead of projects such as pipelines, highways and drilling on public lands, is implemented.
She also said that the administration is aiming to go “as quickly as possible” on its review of the Trump administration’s changes to NEPA.
“We feel like we need to act as quickly as possible because it’s creating this confusion in the world of permitting,” Mallory said, but didn’t give specifics on the timeline.
Read more about Mallory’s comments here.
PUMP UP THE VOLUME: GOP sees opportunity to knock Biden amid rising gas prices
As gas prices are on the rise, Republicans see a window to step up their attacks on President Biden’s energy agenda.
GOP criticisms of higher costs at the pump could resonate with Americans, and congressional Republicans have repeatedly bashed the Biden administration’s push toward renewable fuel sources as a war on energy.
“Every time you go fill up, you’re feeling that in your pocket,” said Rep. Markwayne Mullin
Markwayne MullinGOP sees opportunity to knock Biden amid rising gas prices Intelligence leaders face sharp questions during House worldwide threats hearing GOP leader to try to force Swalwell off panel MORE (R-Okla.).
What’s the actual reason for the increases?: Experts say the increasing demand for gas, and subsequent rise in prices, is due in large part to an improving economy as states loosen COVID-19 restrictions. The revitalized economy may outweigh higher gas prices for many Americans — but Republicans are betting on some frustration.
As the country makes progress in fighting the coronavirus pandemic, more people are expected to be empowered to travel, take vacations and once again use their cars.
Read more about the plans here.
EV-OLUTION: Ocasio-Cortez, Levin introduce revised bill to provide nationwide electric vehicle charging network
Reps. Andy Levin
Andrew (Andy) LevinOSHA sends draft emergency temporary standard for COVID-19 to OMB review OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Obama NOAA leader joins Biden White House in climate role | Study: Climate change could reduce more than 60 countries’ credit ratings | NASA climate official says agency has ‘renewed emphasis’ on practical science applications 14 Republicans vote against resolution condemning Myanmar military coup MORE (D-Mich.) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Alexandria Ocasio-CortezCivilian Climate Corps can help stem rural-urban divide Biden barely gets a passing grade when it comes to foreign policy They like him, they really like him: Biden and the youth vote MORE (D-N.Y.) introduced a revised bill Wednesday that would build out a national network of electric vehicle charging stations.
If passed, the Electric Vehicles Freedom Act would create a plan for a network of public charging stations that would allow drivers to drive anywhere in the U.S. with limited risk of the battery dying too far from a station.
While the representatives introduced a similar measure in 2020, they cited the Democratic Senate majority and the Biden administration as factors that made its success more likely in 2021.
How does the bill fit into the broader progressive agenda?: Ocasio-Cortez also called the bill part of a broader slate of Green New Deal policies that she and her colleagues have recently introduced.
“The EV Freedom Act is a piece of legislation that upholds those core Green New Deal principles … it’s part of a much larger comprehensive approach to transportation, we’re making sure we’re not leaving any community behind,” she said in a press call with Levin on Wednesday.
Ocasio-Cortez also emphasized the need to ensure that such buildouts of infrastructure addressed existing inequalities in transportation infrastructure, saying current access to electric vehicles in particular is “built upon lines and geography of privilege.”
Read more about the bill here.
ON TAP TOMORROW:
WHAT WE’RE READING:
Pennsylvania governor takes next step to start carbon emissions caps in 2022, The Associated Press reports
Texas Legislature advances bills to shield oil and gas from climate initiatives, The Texas Tribune reports
Solar and wind’s competitiveness over coal is accelerating, analysis shows, according to Energy News Network
Maine fishing interests seek total ban on offshore wind energy, The Portland Press-Herald reports
ICYMI: Stories from Wednesday (and Tuesday night)…
Ocasio-Cortez, Levin introduce revised bill to provide nationwide electric vehicle charging network
Limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius could reduce sea level rise by 50 percent: research
Germany unveils more ambitious carbon emission reduction plan after court ruling
Biden administration conservation goals to include ‘different categories’ of lands, official says
Haaland: Santorum’s Native American comments ‘unfortunate’
GOP sees opportunity to knock Biden amid rising gas prices
Republican seeks to use Obama energy policies to criticize Biden
OFF-BEAT AND OFFBEAT: Good boy.
