United States 's Comprehensive Law And Regulations

Last summer the Obama Administration finalized climate regulations for new and existing power plants under the clean air act. Those regulations targeted coal-fired power plants, the cost of energy went up significantly for all Americans but especially Utahns. The increase expense of energy has put more strain on the family, individuals, and businesses will destroy jobs and strain economic growth. All these consequences have been for nothing. No matter what you believe on the subject of man-made greenhouse emissions, the regulations will have a negligible impact—if any—on global temperatures. If the states would have more power over the regulation of emissions, it would lead to an economic growth not only in the nation but especially in Utah. Having more power on the state level is sometimes not even enough. For example Salt Lake County has a very high concentration of emission. Utah county has significantly less emission being released into the atmosphere. But we are taxed the same amount as they are. Sometimes putting power in the states can not adequately solve problems, but putting more power on the local level can lead to a more democratic

BLM-California has a strong history of meeting the nation’s growing energy needs, including renewable energy production,

Prisoner #48551-083 is a 69-year-old white male named Robert Philip Hanssen. The former FBI-counterintelligence-agent-turned-Soviet-spy is serving life in prison without the possibility of parole at the Administrative Maximum facility in Florence, Colorado, where he is kept in solitary confinement. The United States government originally accused Hanssen of trading more than 6,000 pages of confidential information to the KGB in exchange for cash and diamonds and of blowing the covers of double-agents that the FBI had recruited from the Soviets (Willing & Watson). At the time of Hanssen’s arrest, then-FBI Director Louis J. Freeh said that the charges exemplify “the most serious violations of law – and threat to national security” (“Espionage case”, 2001). This opinion should make us question why, when traitors and spies should be executed in accordance to the United States Code of Law, we as a country are so lenient in our punishments of convicted spies such as Hanssen. Is it because we believe that we cannot decide if someone lives or dies? Are we afraid to acknowledge that the information fed to enemy governments could possibly mean the end of the United States as we know it? Or even the end of our own lives? How many people should be allowed to betray our country until we stop this issue before it is continually perpetuated? Although critics believe that the death penalty should be abolished, I use a combination of retributivist and deterrence arguments to argue that

In the article “A Unified West Coast,” investigative reporter and author Arun Gupta presents the unification of California as a model to build towards a net-zero emission. To reach net-zero emission and prevent later environmental issues, Gupta explains politicians and leaders must grasp the power of the monopolistic energy companies. He says that once politicians begin resisting the use of fossil fuels and the harm that they bring, communities all over will continue to form and support the progress towards a cleaner world.

The government has always played a very strong role in the laws of the United States and in the lives of people who live in this country. At times in history, the government has been too strict on its people other times.These leaders have, however, failed to achieve a successful medium between these two treatments. The situation is similar to this one when dealing with most everything that the government has any type of control over. Although there are opposing sides which either argue for strict government regulation of the diets of its people or no government regulation at all, a middle ground should be explored and examined by the government itself regarding this topic. Nutrition in America is a very touchy and sensitive subject to talk

California has been at the forefront of addressing environmental concerns, by balancing environmental protection with economic growth, property rights, public health, and energy production. This is done mainly through laws and regulation passed at all governmental levels and influenced by many stakeholders with different agendas. California has been the most active state in addressing climate change. The state has enacted mandatory carbon reductions, and required emissions standards for automobiles.

California Governor Jerry Brown has a plan to put 1.5 million zero-emission cars on the state roads in the next decade and has signed 11 bills related to global warming. Some of these efforts include 15,000 permits for clean-air cars to use car-pool lanes, requirements for counties to speed up permits for residential solar-power installations, and rebates to lower income resident to buy more fuel-efficient cars. He enacted a law that requires California power companies to get at least a third of their electricity from renewable resources by 2020. One of the largest incentives that Jerry Brown has put into place has been rebates for upgrading to more fuel-efficient cars, where the state of

When looking at the map of states that voted against this we should devide them into those which are vulnerable to climate effects and voted against to convince them on increasing economic pressures derived from inaction in their own states and neighboring states (peer pressure). Then, with those that depend primarily in fossil fuel exploitation (coal mines, oil fields) we should work on the benefits of increase research and development of low carbon technologies within the fossil fuel industry, investment in research and development of cleaner fuels and more efficient processes can be accompanied by technology transfer tax breaks. Emphasis should be made on the fact that this newer industry will create an increasing amount of green jobs the young population could benefit from. It means shifting maintenance investment in the oil and gas industry to the development of a whole new industry that will yield high paying specialized jobs.

The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) is a cap and trade initiative set to regulate and reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases from power generating facilities with an electrical capacity equal or greater than 25 electrical megawatts (RGGI, 2015). The drafting of this initiative started in 2003 when Connecticut (CT), Delaware (DE), Maine (ME), Massachusetts (MA), New Hampshire (NH), New Jersey (NJ), New York (NY), Rhode Island (RI), and Vermont (VT) showed interest in reviewing greenhouse gas emissions and a cap-trade coalition to address the emission from power plants in their territory. In 2005, the above mentioned states with the exception of RI and MA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that outlined the model rules for the program. Some of the topics outlined in RGGI Model Rule include: the responsibilities of the account representatives, permitting recommendations, monitoring requirements, compliance certification reports, control periods and others. The Model Rules were also the building blocks used to develop state-specific regulations supporting the goals and actions necessary to succeed as a member. In 2007 MA, RI and MD also signed the MOU (RGGI, 2015a; RGGI, 2015b). On January 1, 2012, RGGI lost one of its founding members after the governor of NJ; Chris Christie withdrew NJ’s support to the initiative. Throughout its participation, NJ received over $100 million in revenues directly from the RGGI markets. (Christie, 2011) The

Waxman-Markey proposes the clean air act to reduce the effects of global warming by setting economy cap and trade program that control GHG gases emission using 2005 baseline. Every year, there are more than 25,000 tons per year of GHGs that emitted by large stationary sources emitting producers like refineries, and importers of all petroleum fuels, natural gas distributors, commercial and small industrial users (“American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009: Update on the Waxman-Markey Climate Change and Clean Energy Legislation”, (2009)). Some example of GHGs that emit from refineries and distributors are carbon dioxide (CO2), methane

A few states and nations have received focuses for profound decreases in nursery gas outflows by 2050, however there has been little physically sensible demonstrating of the vitality and monetary changes needed. The base and innovation way needed to meet California 's objective of a 80% decrease underneath 1990 levels, utilizing itemized demonstrating of framework stocks, asset stipulations, and power framework operability. We found that in fact plausible levels of vitality effectiveness and decarbonized vitality supply alone are not sufficient; boundless charge of transportation and different areas is needed. Decarbonized power would turn into the overwhelming type of vitality supply, posturing difficulties and opportunities for financial development and atmosphere strategy. This change requests innovations that are not yet popularized, and coordination of speculation, innovation improvement, and base arrangement.

It has been brought to my attention that carbon pollution has become a serious problem around the world. I believe we should do something about it because it can cause great harm in the future. As governor you have power over what…… Carbon pollution contributes to one of the most threatening environmental changes, Climate Change. Levels of carbon pollution has lead to rising the sea level, changes in our ecosystem and rising temperatures and can lead to so much more. Not only can you help convince California to step forward and do something about it, but you can help reach the goal for carbon emissions. Based on the United States Environmental Protection Agency, “2014 was the hottest year in recorded history, and 14 of the 15 warmest years on record have all occurred in the first 15 years of this century” (2015), the effect of carbon pollution on individuals is much more worse than it seems. I believe the government should put a law in order in which it mandates people to reduce their carbon footprint by 5 percent.

The Issues the cap-and-trade programs and the clean power act are facing is the effect it could have on the economy and the lack of authority to put into effect. "energy companies would pass along the cost of the permits in their prices, pushing up the relative price of Co2 intensive goods"(Cap-and-Trade programs: Should Congress enact a Cap-and-trade program to limit carbon dioxide emissions?). The Clean Power Plan would affect the coal industry preventing the creation of new coal power plants. "Lawmakers from Kentucy, Pennsylvania, West Virgina, and Wyoming strongly opposed the Clean Power Plan, fearing it may hurt their local economics"(Clean Power Plan: Should the Environmental Protection

This article states that Ontario is preparing to aim at reducing carbon emissions by implementing a cap-and-trade system which claims to “put a price on everything from industrial emissions to gasoline and natural gas”. By explaining how the cap-and-trade system works to cut back the carbon emissions in industries operating, this article claims that this system will limit carbon emissions by making companies to purchase permits which are called allocations from the government to emit carbon. Cap on gasoline and natural gas means consumers will have to pay for the costs, which forces consumers to behave environmental friendly as well. By implementing cap-and-trade systems, sectors including heavy industry, transportation fuels, and electricity generation would fall under the cap, while some other systems for example Quebec’s sectors are not under cap. In opposing to this exception, the experts hold the opinion that cap-and-trade systems should be spread “as large a constituency as possible” (Morrow 2015).

Brandon Oldham | Vermont Law School | Fall 2015 Energy Policy in a Carbon Constrained World | Michael Dworkin