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Presidential rePort Card: Clean Energy and Climate in the First Year

LEaguE oF ConsErvation votErs | www.LCv.org

The election of Barack Obama as president in November 2008 represented a clean break from the previous eight years of the Bush administration, in which politics trumped science and, as a result, the United States continued a failed energy policy that favored corporate polluters over clean energy alternatives.

From the snowy fields of Iowa and New Hampshire to the crowded tarmacs of key battleground states to the steps of the Capitol on Inauguration Day, President Obama made clear that transitioning to a clean energy economy and tackling the challenge of global warming would be among his top priorities. In his first year in office, the president has turned words into action and achieved real results that are beginning to pave the way toward a clean energy economy that creates jobs, makes America more energy independent and protects the planet.

This report card is an evaluation of President Obama’s clean energy and global warming accomplishments during his first year in office. It offers an analysis of cabinet and other high-level appointments, executive orders and other administration efforts and legislative actions he supported in Congress. While President Obama has taken action on numerous important environmental and public health issues, this report focuses exclusively on energy and global warming, given the scope, magnitude and urgency of solving the climate crisis and building a clean energy economy.

Among the highlights of President Obama’s first year are:

Playing a leadership role in the House of Representatives’ passage of the American Clean Energy ■■

and Security Act, the first piece of legislation that established binding caps on U.S. greenhouse gas emissions to ever be approved by a chamber of Congress.

Granting California’s waiver to impose stricter vehicle tailpipe emissions standards, and proposing ■■

nationwide emissions standards that will result in the equivalent of taking 32 million cars off the road.

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Filling his cabinet and administration with environmental stewards, dedicated staff, scientists and ■■

experts, such as EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, Energy Secretary Steven Chu and White House Director of Energy and Climate Change Policy Carol Browner – a “Green Dream Team.”

Finding that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases pose a danger to public health and welfare, ■■

as determined by the Environmental Protection Agency after a rigorous scientific review.

Pushing for the single largest investment in clean energy in history – more than $80 billion for ■■

energy efficiency, renewable energy, public transit, high-speed rail and clean energy jobs in the economic recovery package.

Achieving modest but critical progress at the international climate negotiations in Copenhagen, ■■

including having the U.S. and China – for the first time – both at the table, working to address global climate change.

While these are very significant accomplishments that will finally help our country make the much-needed transition to a cleaner, more sustainable economy, there is still much work to be done. Most important, the Obama administration must continue to work with Congress to enact comprehensive clean energy and global warming legislation that includes mandatory limits on carbon pollution and complementary renewable energy and energy efficiency measures. Although the House of Representatives passed the landmark American Clean Energy and Security Act in June, the full Senate has yet to act on a companion bill. In addition, while President Obama worked hard to ensure that progress was made in Copenhagen, the failure to forge a legally binding international agreement created another significant challenge that he must confront in 2010.

There is little doubt that President Obama has accomplished more to create clean energy jobs and curb global warming pollution during his first year than any other president has accomplished during an entire term. However, the fact that a comprehensive clean energy and climate bill has not yet been signed into law means that he falls slightly short of acing his first year in office and results in a solid B+ grade.

While the president has made important strides forward, his greatest challenges lie firmly ahead. Fortunately, the policies needed to build a clean energy economy that puts Americans back to work are the same policies that reduce our dependence on foreign oil and protect the planet for future generations.

“ To truly transform our economy, protect our security and save our planet from the ravages of climate change, we need to ultimately make clean, renewable energy the profitable kind of energy. So I ask this Congress to send me legislation that places a market-based cap on carbon pollution and drives the production of more renewable energy in America.”

President Obama February 24, 2009

President Obama’s LCV Grade on Climate and Clean Energy B+

The AmericAn recovery And reinvesTmenT AcTPresident Obama’s first major piece of enacted legislation, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, included the largest single investment in clean energy and efficiency in American history. In recognition of the important role that renewable technology development and energy efficiency could play in putting the economy back on track, the legislation included more than $80 billion for energy efficiency, renewable energy, public transit, clean energy jobs and other provisions.

Among the most significant investments within the funds made available for clean energy were ■■

$11 billion to rebuild the national energy grid and significant investments in transportation, including $8 billion for high-speed rail projects.

The Recovery Act contained $2.3 billion in new clean energy ■■

tax credits to foster investment and job creation in clean energy manufacturing.

The legislation also increased certainty for clean energy ■■

businesses by extending production and income tax credits for investors along with dedicated grant programs in wind, solar and geothermal technologies through at least 2013.

Additionally, among other sizeable investments aimed at reducing the amount of energy used by ■■

federal, residential and commercial buildings, the Recovery Act promoted efforts to reduce American energy consumption by appropriating nearly $5 billion for weatherization efforts in low-income homes.

The oBAmA AdminisTrATion’s BudgeT The Obama administration’s first budget, which provided a blueprint for the president’s long-term energy policy objectives, signified one of the most remarkable breaks with the prior eight years. The ten-year plan encapsulated a vision for a next-generation clean energy economy that started to level the playing field between subsidies for fossil fuel and renewable technology industries.

Among these transformative policy goals was the inclusion of revenue from a federal program to ■■

cap carbon pollution. The recognition and suggested usage of revenues generated by auctioning all pollution permits in the budget provided a clear signal of support for enacting comprehensive clean energy and climate legislation.

Carbon revenues, as laid out by the president’s budget, would go to investments in clean energy ■■

technology, middle class tax cuts and consumer relief in the transition period to a clean energy economy.

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The budget also would have ended billions in government handouts to oil companies, who continued ■■

receiving taxpayer subsidies during the Bush era despite making record profits.

Unfortunately, the president’s vision in accounting for a cap on carbon revenues was eventually stripped during congressional deliberations, representing a major setback from the original budget proposal.

FiscAl yeAr 2010 inTerior-environmenT AppropriATionsThe renewed emphasis on environmental protection remained evident through the Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations process for Fiscal Year 2010. This legislation provided funding for the work of the Department of the Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Forest Service and other related agencies.

After eight years of declining resources for those agencies tasked with dealing with the short-term ■■

impacts of global warming, President Obama signed into law an appropriations bill that represented a 17 percent increase in funding for these departments. The EPA received $10.3 billion alone, an increase of over 35 percent from the previous year.

Programs focused on mitigating climate change received $385 million, a funding boost of 67 percent ■■

over 2009 levels. These resources will go towards researching the impacts of global warming across agencies, implementing initiatives to move the U.S. towards renewable fuels and increased appliance efficiency and developing a Greenhouse Gas Registry. The legislation also calls on the Interior Department to create a national strategy to respond to the threat posed by global warming.

comprehensive cleAn energy & climATe legislATionPresident Obama made clear throughout his first year that enacting a comprehensive clean energy and climate bill was one of his top priorities.

The president and members of his cabinet held more than 150 clean energy events in more than 30 states to help build support for congressional action. Additionally, the president made more than 125 speeches and statements regarding clean energy during his first year. President Obama also engaged directly with members of Congress. For example, just before the critically important House Energy & Commerce Committee vote, the president met with all the Democrats on the committee to urge them to support a strong bill.

When the American Clean Energy and Security ■■

Act passed the House of Representatives on June 26 by a bipartisan vote of 219-212, it marked the first time a mandatory cap on greenhouse gas emissions had passed either chamber of Congress.

Drafted and shepherded through the House by ■■

Representatives Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Ed Markey (D-MA), the bill would reduce global warming pollution 17 percent by 2020 and 83 percent by 2050, below 2005 levels.

“ The nation that leads in the creation of a clean energy economy will be the nation that leads the 21st century’s global economy. That’s what this legislation seeks to achieve. It’s a bill that will open the door to a better future for this nation and that’s why I urge members of Congress to come together and pass it.”

President Obama June 23, 2009

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Long and arduous negotiations within the Democratic caucus led to a renewable electricity standard ■■

that fell short of what is needed. In its final form, the bill called for 20 percent of the nation’s energy needs to come from clean, renewable sources by 2020, 8 percent of which could be met through efficiency measures. This standard, if enacted, would not put America significantly beyond business as usual trends.

With buildings in the U.S. accounting for nearly 40 percent of energy ■■

consumption, the bill included strong standards for building efficiency that call for a 50 percent reduction in energy usage for all buildings by 2015. This reduction ramps downward through 2030.

Additionally, the bill called for increased appliance standards, transparent ■■

reporting and funding to help meet emission targets and reduce price impacts on vulnerable households.

With encouragement from President Obama, the Senate process of drafting a clean energy and climate bill moved forward. In November, the Senate Environment & Public Works Committee passed the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act. Following that, a tripartisan team of Senators John Kerry (D-MA), Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Joe Lieberman (I-CT) began drafting legislation that could achieve additional bipartisan support.

endAngermenT FindingIn 2007, the Supreme Court ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency had the authority to limit greenhouse gas emissions – mandating that the EPA, should it find that the emissions posed a threat to public health, be required to regulate these emissions under the powers of the Clean Air Act. Though this determination was made, the Bush administration failed to take action.

Within weeks of being sworn in, however, the Obama administration proposed its own endangerment finding. On the eve of international climate negotiations in Copenhagen, the EPA officially announced that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases pose a danger to public health and welfare. The EPA also found that greenhouse gas emissions from on-road vehicles contribute to that threat. The process represented a triumph of sound science, as the federal government formally recognized the dangers of climate change.

cArs rulesAmong the more egregious offenses during the Bush administration was the refusal to grant a routine waiver that would allow California and 13 other states to require stringent global warming emissions standards for cars and light trucks. The Obama administration moved quickly to resolve this issue. After less than one week in office, President Obama issued a memorandum directing the EPA to reassess the waiver, and by June the EPA granted California the waiver.

In May, the president took further action by proposing the first ever federal fleetwide global warming emissions standards for cars and light trucks. These standards effectively accelerate the fuel economy standards passed by Congress in 2007 by four years, raising the fuel economy of new vehicles sold to 35.5 mpg by 2016. When finalized, these standards will result in the equivalent of taking nearly 32 million vehicles off the road. At the same time, they will cut America’s oil dependence by 1.2 million barrels per day, saving consumers nearly $32 billion at the gas pump.

greening FederAl governmenTAs the nation’s largest single consumer of energy, the federal government has historically set a poor example for sustainability. Recognizing this, President Obama signed a sweeping executive order in October that mandated binding targets for energy consumption in federal buildings through specific greenhouse gas reduction requirements, among other sustainability goals. The new order will help to meet and exceed existing targets of 30 percent reductions in fossil fuel use by 2015.

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reporTing requiremenTsOne of the major challenges America faces in reducing greenhouse gas emissions is the lack of transparency among the largest pollution sources. In September, the Obama administration ordered that these polluters be required to fully report their emissions starting January 1, 2010. The rule covers nearly 85 percent of U.S. emissions across approximately 10,000 facilities. With better data, the nation’s efforts to cut greenhouse gases in the short term will be better informed and ultimately more effective.

impAcT AssessmenTsUnderstanding the real impacts of global warming is crucial to informing efforts to implement comprehensive climate policy, adapting to global warming’s unavoidable impacts and advancing public understanding of the issue. In June, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released a report entitled “Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States.” The report drew on the best science across government agencies to provide a comprehensive assessment of the regional U.S. impacts of global warming. The Associated Press termed it the “strongest language on climate change to ever come out of the White House.”

inTernATionAl AcTionPresident Obama has pledged to re-engage with the international community on numerous issues, including the threat of global climate change. Throughout its first year, the administration accelerated its collaboration with China, India, Mexico, Canada and other key international partners to combat climate change, coordinate clean energy research and development and support the international climate talks. In September, the president succeeded in getting an agreement at the G20 Summit in Pittsburgh on the goal of phasing out fossil fuel subsidies by 2020. While much more work is needed to actually achieve this goal, this agreement among leaders of major countries was noteworthy.

The president’s personal engagement with other leaders at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December, as well as the attendance of numerous members of his cabinet and other administration officials, restored the U.S. to a proactive leadership role in international efforts to tackle global warming. Secretary Clinton’s announcement that the U.S. is committed to helping mobilize a $100 billion to address the climate change needs of developing countries came at a key point in negotiations. President Obama deserves credit for the fact that a path forward for international climate cooperation was agreed to at all in Copenhagen, given the divisions among key countries. Significantly, the U.S. and China will – for the first time – both be at the table, working to tackle the historic challenge of global climate change. But the Copenhagen Accord was incomplete and inadequate, leaving much more work to be done.

Carol Browner, Director, White House Office of Energy and Climate Change PolicyMs. Browner has been a champion in the fight against climate change for nearly three decades, serving as a top aide to then-Senator Al Gore, head of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and administrator of the EPA during the Clinton administration. Ms. Browner is President Obama’s top advisor on clean energy and climate policies – playing a critical role in efforts to create clean energy jobs and pass a strong climate bill in Congress.

Steven Chu, Secretary of EnergyA Nobel Prize-winning physicist and distinguished scholar, Secretary Chu has been a tireless advocate in the fight against global warming. He previously oversaw numerous renowned research institutions, most recently as Director of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. At the Energy Department, Secretary Chu has advocated for a renewed commitment to the research and development of the next-generation clean technologies that will power American homes, businesses and vehicles.

Hillary Clinton, Secretary of StateAt the State Department, Secretary Clinton has been an outspoken envoy for combating climate change in the global community. Her efforts included playing a crucial role in bringing China, the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases, to the table in seeking an international pact on global warming. Additionally, in Copenhagen, Secretary Clinton announced U.S. support for helping to finance a $100 billion fund that would help developing nations deal with the impacts of global warming and invest in clean energy technologies.

Lisa Jackson, Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Jackson brings over two decades of experience in environmental agency management to the EPA, which includes serving as the head of New Jersey’s Department of Environmental Protection. Among the historic actions she has taken as the Obama administration’s chief environmental enforcement official are the classification of greenhouse gases as a threat to public health, the implementation of an ambitious new average fuel economy requirement for cars and light trucks and increased transparency standards for major emitters of global warming pollution.

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Ray LaHood, Secretary of TransportationHaving served on the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Secretary LaHood came to the Department of Transportation with a specialized understanding of America’s acute need for an overhaul of its infrastructure, and he has proven to be an adept leader for the department. In championing the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, he has touted the greenhouse gas reduction benefits of public transportation, minimizing sprawl and focusing on how to make American communities more sustainable.

Ken Salazar, Secretary of InteriorSecretary Salazar directed Colorado’s Department of Natural Resources in the early 1990s and was later elected to the U.S. Senate, where he earned a LCV lifetime score of 81 percent. One of his first announcements at the Interior Department was to roll back a so-called “midnight regulation” by the Bush administration that called for large-scale oil and gas development of America’s coastlines. The agency is currently constructing an offshore plan that will, for the first time, include renewable energy provisions.

Hilda Solis, Secretary of LaborPrior to serving at the Department of Labor, Secretary Solis represented the 32nd Congressional District in California, earning a LCV lifetime score of 97 percent. A recognized leader on clean energy jobs, she authored the Green Jobs Act, enacted as part of the 2007 energy bill, which provides funding for “green collar” job training for veterans, displaced workers, at-risk youth, and individuals in families under 200 percent of the federal poverty line. In the Obama administration, Secretary Solis has helped push through millions in training grants for clean energy jobs.

Nancy Sutley, Chair, Council on Environmental QualityMs. Sutley has worked to protect the environment at the municipal, state and federal levels throughout her career, which includes time spent at the EPA under President Clinton. Prior to her appointment to the Obama administration, she was the Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy for the City of Los Angeles. At the Council on Environmental Quality, she has worked to promote clean energy jobs initiatives and other programs aimed at reducing carbon pollution.

Tom Vilsack, Secretary of AgricultureA two-term governor of Iowa, Secretary Vilsack brings great expertise to the Department of Agriculture. He has been an outspoken advocate of America’s need to transition away from fossil fuels to combat climate change, and has been an effective messenger to farmers on how a new energy vision benefits them. Much of the responsibility for agricultural oversight in any potential global warming legislation will fall to Secretary Vilsack, and his understanding of these issues will be critical.

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