| Trump: Encourage Shale & Clean Coal, Fight British Wind Farms: In a brief video message outlining goals for the first 100 days of his presidency, Donald Trump stated he would cancel “job-killing restrictions on the production of American energy, including shale energy and clean coal.” At a recent meeting, Trump allegedly encouraged British politician Nigel Farage to oppose an offshore wind farm near Trump-owned Scottish golf courses, while the president-elect’s friendly stance towards gas pipelines combined with his investment in the Dakota Access pipeline is also inviting scrutiny. (Video message: New York Times $, Huffington Post, Wall Street Journal $, Climate Home, Fox News, Guardian. Conflict-of-interest: New York Times $, Sunday Express, Motherboard)
Trump’s Fossil-Fueled Transition Picks: The Trump camp’s latest transition picks may indicate that the upcoming administration is readying to roll back environmental regulations. Thomas Pyle, now the Energy Department transition head, is president of the American Energy Alliance (AEA) and has lobbied in the past for the fossil fuel industry. The Interior Department transition team lead, Doug Domenech, is the director of the Fueling Freedom Project at the Koch-connected Texas Public Policy Foundation, which works to “explain the forgotten moral case for fossil fuels.” Trump’s Justice Department transition team includes Ronald Tenpas, who currently represents utility company Minnesota Power in the legal challenge against the Clean Power Plan. Meanwhile, Steven Groves, the State Department transition team chief, co-authored an article last week outlining a quick pathway out of the Paris Agreement for the US by exiting the UNFCCC. Read today’s Denier Roundup at the bottom of the newsletter for more. (Greenwire $, Politico, Politico Pro $, The Hill)
More On Trump’s Cabinet-in-Waiting: Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin met with Trump on Monday to discuss the possibility of heading the Interior Department, according to her spokesperson. Fallin, a climate denier, opposes the Clean Power Plan and once asked Oklahomans to pray for rain during the state’s record-breaking 2011 drought. Meanwhile, Jeff Holmstead, who is billed as a possible EPA administrator under Trump, deregistered himself as a lobbyist for coal-burning utilities shortly after the announcement that administration appointees will have to terminate lobbying ties. (E&E News $, Reuters, FiveThirty-Eight, Politico Pro $, Greenwire $, EnergyWire $)
Record Hot Days To Outpace Cold Days: The United States could experience 15 heat records for every record cold day in less than 50 years if greenhouse gas emissions continue unchecked, according to a new study. The current global temperature rise has led to two record hot days for every record cold day between 2000 and 2009. “An increase in average temperatures of a few degrees may not seem like much, but it correlates with a noticeable increase in days that are hotter than any in the record,” said Gerald Meehl, the study’s lead author. (AP, Motherboard, Washington Post $, USA Today)
Canada Swears Off Coal: While the struggling US coal industry eagerly awaits an unlikely but promised boost from the incoming president-elect, Canada announced plans to accelerate its renewable transition and phase out the use of coal fired power plants by 2030. Canadian Environment Minister Catherine McKenna said the goal is to increase the country’s clean energy use, currently at 80 percent, to 90 percent, while cutting the emissions equivalent to taking 1.5 million cars off the road. (News: AP, Reuters, Wall Street Journal $, The Hill, Bloomberg, CNBC. Commentary: Regina Leader-Post editorial) |
