Today’s Headlines

  • Bush-era Transportation Secretary Mary Peters, a fan of national transport targets but not a transit booster, sings the praises of Virginia Gov.-elect Bob McDonnell’s infrastructure platform (Nat’l Review)
  • Greenpeace is taking on Newsweek for its business ties to Big Oil’s lobbying group (GreenWire)
  • Did House transportation committee chairman Jim Oberstar (D-MN) promise Rep. Anh Cao (LA), the lone Republican to vote yes in Saturday’s health care vote, that he would visit Cao’s hurricane-wracked district to talk infrastructure? (The Hill)
  • Two EPA employees who published an op-ed and video critical of the congressional climate change bill are getting the cold shoulder from their government employers (WSJ)
  • …while the EPA takes a major official step towards regulating carbon emissions (Reuters)
  • House Speaker Pelosi’s push for a summertime vote on climate change is looking pretty genius (Ezra Klein)
  • New study finds Michigan’s roads in dire need of repair, with Detroit’s in especially bad shape (Free Press)

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At Senate Climate Hearings, Lots of Transport Talk and All Eyes on Baucus

By Elana Schor |
The Senate environment committee today held the first in a three-part marathon of hearings on its climate change legislation, with supporters singling out the bill’s investments in clean transportation even as one senior Democrat notably withheld his support from the measure. Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) (Photo: Baucus 08) The Senate climate bill calls […]

Sen. Boxer: Working With Mica, Inhofe on a Long-Term Transpo Bill

By Tanya Snyder |
Senator Barbara Boxer told reporters today that she had an “excellent”, “wonderful” meeting with Rep. John Mica (R-FL), the new chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. She confirmed that they’re working on a “longer-term” transportation bill and have come up with many points of agreement. We’ll let you know more details about […]

Boxer Okays Senate Climate Bill, Without Amendments or GOP

By Elana Schor |
The Senate environment committee approved its climate change bill today on an 11-1 vote, shrugging off a boycott by all of the panel’s Republicans but missing out on the chance to consider amendments to the lengthy legislation. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) (Photo: AP) The environment panel’s chairman Barbara Boxer (D-CA) had offered Republicans several days […]

EPA Makes it Official: Emissions Threaten Public Health

By Elana Schor |
Acting under a Supreme Court mandate, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ruled today that greenhouse gas emissions endanger public health and contribute to the harmful environmental effects of climate change, paving the way for pollution regulations under the Clean Air Act. (Photo: TreeHugger) “Today, EPA announced that greenhouse gases threaten the health and welfare of […]

Obama Adviser: If EPA is Blocked on Emissions, Forget About CAFE Deal

By Elana Schor |
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) chief Lisa Jackson extended an olive branch this week to lawmakers who are pushing to block her from regulating carbon emissions in the absence of a congressional climate bill, but Jackson’s promise to delay action until next year appears to have made no headway with Republicans and coal-state Democrats.  Carol Browner, […]

The Senate Climate Bill Reaches a First Milestone Today — Maybe

By Elana Schor |
The Senate environment committee is slated to begin formally voting on its climate change bill today in an atmosphere of high drama, thanks to Republican members who have vowed to boycott the proceedings in a bid to delay the legislative process. Senate environment chairman Barbara Boxer (D-CA), at right, with the panel’s top Republican, Jim […]