In a statement released to coincide with the start of the Biden administration, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is endorsing “market-based” approaches to a climate change policy approved by Congress, while indirectly acknowledging divisions within the business community by failing to offer specific policy options.
The Biden administration has announced key members of its political leadership teams at the Interior (DOI) and Agriculture (USDA) departments, two land management agencies that are expected to play key roles in advancing policies to support the administration’s ambitious climate change agenda.
On the eve of the Biden administration taking office, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) resoundingly rejected a “notice of inquiry” to set new categorical exclusions for environmental reviews of energy other projects under the Trump White House’s streamlined National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) rule.
Within hours of his inauguration, President-elect Joe Biden will sign a sweeping set of executive actions related to climate change, including directing EPA and other agencies to review scores of Trump-era policies, blocking high-profile fossil fuel projects and reinstating a federal interagency group to revise the social cost of carbon (SCC) metric.
The incoming Biden administration could have several novel options at the White House and various federal agencies besides EPA to advance its sweeping climate change agenda, several legal experts say, though they also warn that any measures will face scrutiny from conservative judges.
House lawmakers from both parties are expressing skepticism or opposition to imposing a price on carbon emissions, while citing bipartisan support for carbon capture technologies and research for advanced nuclear power as part of a broader climate change strategy.
Major labor, environmental and other groups are urging the incoming Biden administration and Congress to quickly start creating a low-carbon procurement program for federal purchasing of construction and other materials, seeing it as a way to back lower-emitting domestic steel, cement and other energy-intensive industries and cut greenhouse gases.
Climate Currents
Critics of the Trump EPA rule say the ruling will allow the Biden EPA to advance stricter standards, but supporters say the Supreme Court may not accept such rules, which could increase energy costs.
Biden will rejoin the Paris Agreement on his first day in office but is also planning additional executive actions to address climate change in the early days of his presidency, his incoming chief of staff says.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) says she would not seek to link New Mexico’s program to those already established by California and Oregon.
The United States is moving to notify other countries it is rejoining the Paris climate deal, reversing former President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from the pact but posing challenges for the Biden administration on how to meet the agreement’s goals -- including the possible need for new EPA greenhouse gas rules.
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Climate Extra Insider
The Jan. 19 ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to scrap the Trump EPA’s rewrite of Obama-era greenhouse gas rules for power plants offers the new Biden administration a clean slate for moving quickly on its own climate change standards, though a partial dissenting opinion could offer conservatives a game plan for challenging any future policy at the Supreme Court.
Featured Story
Supporters of a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) policy aimed at removing barriers for distributed energy to participate in wholesale electricity markets are arguing the measure could be a crucial component of broader efforts by the Biden administration and others to decarbonize the power sector.
Weekly Analysis
President-elect Joe Biden will take office on Jan. 20 with a number of 11th-hour regulatory decisions by the outgoing Trump administration that could hamper the new administration’s climate policy options.
Week Ahead
The Supreme Court is poised to hear oral arguments in a closely watched climate change nuisance suit seeking damages from the oil sector over its role in climate change, while President-elect Joe Biden is set to be sworn into office amid expectations he will reinvigorate federal climate policy.
Voices
The outgoing director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) is urging the incoming Biden administration to emphasize speed over cost in approving and funding clean-energy projects as it hopes to develop promising low-carbon technology to address climate change.
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