Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
oil sands crude from Canada to a market hub in Nebraska for further delivery
to Gulf Coast refineries.
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Some environmental groups called this decision the
―line in the sand‖ for U.S. climate change policy
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and urged the President to
deny the permit. On June 25, 2013, the President stated in his speech that
―[our] national interest will be served only if this project does not significantly
exacerbate the impacts of carbon pollution. The net effects of the pipeline's
impact on our climate will be absolutely critical to determining whether this
project can go forward
.
‖
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In April 2013 comments on the draft Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS) for the permit application, EPA recommended that the
State Department include in the final EIS monetized estimates of the social
cost of the GHG emissions from a barrel of oil sands crude compared to
average U.S. crude. It is not clear whether the State Department will include in
the final EIS the additional emissions data recommended by EPA. If those data
are included, it is not yet known how it may inform the State Department's
assessment of the ―net effects‖ of the pipeline project on the climate.
Eliminate Tax Incentives Benefiting U.S. Fossil Fuels:
The President
proposed phasing out tax provisions that benefit fossil fuels in his FY2014
budget proposal.
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(He links this proposal to seeking a global phase-out of
similar incentives for fossil fuels.) The President proposed similar phase-outs
in previous budget requests.
Technology Development
: The President's FY2014 budget proposes
approximately $7.9 billion, a 30% increase of funding across agencies, for
research, development, and deployment of ―clean energy‖ technologies.
The Department of Energy (DOE) plans to issue a Notice in the
Federal Register
announcing a draft solicitation to use up to $8 billion
in ―Section 1703‖ loan guarantee authority
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for advanced fossil fuel
energy projects that can ―cost-effectively meet financial and policy
goals, including the avoidance, reduction, or sequestration of
anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases.‖
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The draft solicitation
will be open for public comment, with an aim to issue the final
solicitation in the Fall of 2013.
Conduct a Federal Quadrennial Energy Review, led by the White
House Domestic Policy Council and the Office of Science and
Technology Policy, to assess energy infrastructure challenges, identify
threats, risks, and opportunities for U.S. energy and climate security
in order to translate policy goals into sequenced actions and proposed
investments over four-year planning horizons.
