In the Pipeline: 12/21/12

From our family to yours, Merry Christmas. 

This runs contrary to the spirit of Christmas, but it looks like we have no hope. Energy Guardian (12/21/12) reports: “The Obama administration’s plan to spend $510 million on refineries to make drop-in biofuels for its Great Green Fleet advanced after House passage Thursday of a $633 million 2013 defense authorization bill.”

Look Ma! We’re famous! The Hill (12/20/12) reports: “Letter signatories included the American Energy Alliance, Heritage Action, Freedom Action, Competitive Enterprise Institute and American Commitment… Those groups sent a letter last week urging lawmakers representing states without renewable targets to axe the wind credit. They argued the incentive helped other states while failing to benefit those without mandates.”

Assuming the Mayans weren’t right about today, here’s something to look forward to in 2013. Politico (12/20/12) reports: “Facing paralysis in Washington and abroad, Arnold Schwarzenegger is taking the threat of climate change into his own hands.”

Hey Rep. Bishop, we like where you’re going with this.  We can save you a lot of time, though.  May we present to you the American Energy Act. The Hill (12/20/12) reports: “The House Natural Resources committee will devote more attention to environmental reviews and their effects on advancing energy development in a new subcommittee next Congress… National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) evaluations will now be wrapped into the newly formed subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulation… Currently called the subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands, Rep. Rob Bishop (R-Utah) will remain its chairman.”

Green greed knows no bounds:  Xcel admits PTC distorts electricity markets, yet wants to substitute one Big Wind taxpayer giveaway with two others.  Udall, Chu, and the Wind Bags (aka AWEA) say good idea, only we want all three.  That David Brown guy is the only one making any sense in this whole conversation. National Journal (12/20/12) reports: “Sen. Mark Udall, D-Colo., whose office has met with Xcel lobbyists on this proposal, expressed initial support for the idea during a Wednesday event on wind energy at the Energy Department alongside Secretary Steven Chu, but only in addition to the PTC. Wind lobbyist AWEA took the same stance… Xcel lobbyist John O’Donnell said that since the investment tax credit is given up front and not based on production, it would not distort real-time electricity markets, which is the key reason Exelon, the country’s biggest nuclear generator, opposes the PTC. Exelon also opposes Xcel’s proposal, though… ‘Substituting one subsidy for another in a way that continues to distort power markets is not a viable solution,’ Exelon lobbyist David Brown said in an e-mailed statement to NJD.”

Now batting in the cleanup spot.  We think it’s safe to put Mr. O’Keefe on our list below.  In fact, he is making the rest of us look like softies.WSJ (12/20/12) reports: “What’s more, the climate-change justification for a carbon tax is bogus. Greenhouse-gas emissions are rising in China and other emerging economies, not in the United States. Carbon-dioxide emissions in the U.S. have been declining and by 2035 will return to 2005 levels, the Energy Information Administration projects.”

The following think tank chiefs are opposed to a carbon tax.  The list to date follows.  If your guy is not on the list, it is because he either favors a carbon tax, wants to retain the option of favoring a carbon tax at some point in the future, or has yet to contact us.

Tom Pyle, American Energy Alliance / Institute for Energy Research
Myron Ebell, Freedom Action
Phil Kerpen, American Commitment
William O’Keefe, George C. Marshall Institute
Fred Smith, Competitive Enterprise Institute
Andrew Quinlan, Center for Freedom and Prosperity
Tim Phillips, Americans for Prosperity
Joe Bast, Heartland Institute
David Ridenour, National Center for Public Policy Research
Michael Needham, Heritage Action for America
Tom Schatz, Citizens Against Government Waste
Grover Norquist, Americans for Tax Reform
Sabrina Schaeffer, Independent Women’s Forum
Barrett E. Kidner, Caesar Rodney Institute
George Landrith, Frontiers of Freedom