Obama Drops by the E.P.A.

President Obama, who has been both applauded and jeered for his record on environmental issues, paid a brief visit to the headquarters of the Environmental Protection Agency in Washington on Tuesday to try to raise spirits at an agency that has been under siege for the past year. [ read more … ]

At EPA HQ, Obama says environment and economic development go hand in hand

President Obama this afternoon repeatedly emphasized the economic benefits that can be achieved through safeguarding the environment in a brief appearance to thank employees for their work at U.S. EPA headquarters in Washington, D.C. “I do not buy the notion that we have to make a choice between having clean air and clean water and growing this economy in a robust way,” Obama said. “I think that is a false debate.” [ read more … ]

Calif. air board reiterates stance in latest response to Issa probe

California Air Resources Board (ARB) Chairwoman Mary Nichols has issued another defense of her agency’s actions to House Oversight Chairman Darrell Issa as part of his investigation into new fuel economy standards, after the California Republican deemed her last response “inadequate.” The response comes as part of Issa’s ongoing probe into the negotiations that led to the White House and automakers agreeing to a 54.5 mpg fuel economy target by 2025. Issa has charged that the 2017-2025 standards were written in secret and without proper economic and scientific vetting, which could mean more expensive and less safe vehicles. [ read more … ]

Industry Says Cellulosic Ethanol Progress is Being Made

“In a very difficult financial and policy environment, the first wave of commercial advanced ethanol production facilities are under construction in a number of states across the country,” said Advanced Ethanol Council Executive Director Brooke Coleman. “Diversifying America’s fuel supply with increasing amounts of clean, domestically produced renewable fuel requires us to keep our eyes on the prize and not be distracted by the noise and misdirection coming from naysayers protecting the status quo.” [ read more … ]