EPA Will Increase Gasoline Prices and Reduce Fuel Economy with Its Bid to Further Reduce Sulfur in Gasoline The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has decided that the sulfur content of gasoline must be further reduced from 30 parts per million to 10 parts per million on an annual average basis by January 1, 2017 .  This will bequeath to President Obama’s successor the immediate economic problem of higher gasoline prices for consumers upon assuming office. Refiners are...
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I don’t always go to protests, but when I do, I make sure to bring my harmonica. Denver Post (4/1/13) reports: “Longmont and Fort Collins have banned the practice. Hickenlooper said Monday that past court rulings suggest cities can't do that because mineral rights owners have to have reasonable access to recover the minerals for which they own the rights… Three hecklers were ejected from the debate. One left playing a harmonica.”   Times have changed. It's not like the Old Days,...
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When you're not gambling with your own money, Vegas must be tons of fun. Grist  (3/28/13) reports: “We find that 90% of hours are covered most cost-effectively by a system that generates from renewables 180% the electrical energy needed by load, and 99.9% of hours are covered by generating almost 290% of need. Only [9 to 72 hours] of storage were required to cover 99.9% of hours of load over four years. So much excess generation of renewables is a new idea, but it is not problematic or...
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America’s game is brought to you by oil and natural gas.
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Freedom of expression is now freedom of coercion. Sierra Club (3/31/13) reports: “As the effects of climate change cause hardship for families across America, we need better coverage if we want people to connect the dots and demand real action to curb global warming pollution… That's why we're launching a petition to the executive producers of ABC, CBS, and NBC's evening news programs, demanding more -- and better -- news coverage on climate change this year. Will you add your name to...
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  Earlier this week, the Renewable Fuels Association released a report arguing that the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) is only slightly raising gasoline prices. The implication of the report is clear—there is no need for RFS. If the RFS has positive benefits, as the report claims, or only slight costs, then there is no need for Congress to mandate the use of billions of gallons of ethanol a year. With gasoline prices spiking recently, the ethanol fuel industry, through its promotion of...
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We had to recheck the calendar to make sure it wasn't April 1^st.Washington Free Beacon (3/28/13) reports: “After bankruptcy, a buyout by a Chinese firm, and more than a hundred million dollars in taxpayer money, the lithium-ion battery maker A123 Systems, Inc., is getting a new name: B456 Systems, Inc… A123, which produces batteries used in electric cars, has changed its name to B456, the company announced Thursday in a regulatory filing.”   What's the price of gasoline in...
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The new era in American energy being brought on innovative hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling technologies has made, North Dakota, the poster child of the domestic energy boom.  In 2012, North Dakota was the second largest oil producer, boasting the nation’s lowest unemployment rate at 3.6%. North Dakota’s emergence as an energy giant is a beacon on the hill during our nation’s tough economic times and should be used as an example for other states with vast oil and natural...
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Last weekend the Senate rejected an amendment to the FY 2014 budget that would have enacted a carbon tax. For those interested in affordable energy and job creation, this was a good thing. Still, it’s worth walking through the actual wording of Senator Whitehouse’s amendment to see just how duplicitous it was. Even if someone knew nothing of the climate policy debate, the rhetorical sleight of hand in Whitehouse’s proposal should raise alarm bells. A Tax By Any Other Name Would Hurt...
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It’s not enough to help us sleep at night, but at least 53 Senators disagree with His Majesty's newest court jester. Washington Examiner (3/25/13) reports: “President Obama’s Energy secretary nominee regards a carbon tax as one of the simplest ways to move the energy industry towards clean technologies, though he notes that government would have to come up with a plan to mitigate the burden this tax places on poor people, who would pay the most.”   It would be great if the House...
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