Associated Press: Defying GOP, Obama Vetoes Keystone XL Pipeline Bill
Defying the Republican-run Congress, President Barack Obama rejected a bill Tuesday to approve construction of the Keystone XL oil pipeline, wielding his veto power for only the third time in his presidency.
Obama offered no indication of whether he'll eventually issue a permit for the pipeline, whose construction has become a flashpoint in the U.S. debate about environmental policy and climate change. Instead, Obama sought to reassert his authority to make the decision himself, rebuffing GOP lawmakers who will control both the House and Senate for the remainder of the president's term.
Politico: John Kitzhaber Saga Fuels Conservatives’ Fight on Clean Energy
For years, conservatives have decried efforts at the state and federal level to support renewable energy producers as crony capitalism. In Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber, they may now have their poster child.
The downfall of Kitzhaber -- the Democrat who last week said he would resign because of conflict-of-interest allegations over his first lady’s consulting contracts -- hands conservatives on and off Capitol Hill ammunition to use against billionaire environmentalist Tom Steyer, green nonprofit groups and national Democrats advocating clean energy.
The Local: EU Energy Union Plan Meets Berlin Resistance
Energy Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič presented plans in Brussels on Monday for an “Energy Union” aimed at helping EU members avoid shortages, the Süddeutsche Zeitung reported.
Šefčovič called it “the most ambitious plan since the founding of the Coal and Steel Community” in 1951, the intra-European organization widely seen as a forerunner of the modern-day EU.
But the idea is sure to meet resistance among ministers in Berlin, who insist that the EU should continue to regard energy as a matter for national governments -- a condition laid out in the treaties governing the EU.
Crain's: Exelon Proposes Surcharge on Power Bills; Legislation Expected Soon
Exelon will ask Illinois lawmakers as soon as this week to approve a new surcharge on electric bills throughout the state to provide more revenue for low-carbon power-generation sources like its six Illinois nuclear plants.
The long-awaited legislation, for which Chicago-based Exelon has laid the groundwork for more than a year, would establish a “low-carbon portfolio standard” in Illinois. The proposal is modeled on a similar policy for renewable energy sources like wind and solar that the state established more than seven years ago, according to a fact sheet distributed by Exelon and obtained by Crain's.
PR Newswire: SunEdison to Bring Electricity to 20 Million People by 2020
SunEdison today announced an ambitious plan to electrify 20 million people in underserved communities around the world.
The initiative will be led by SunEdison Social Innovations, a global group focused on developing new business models and new technologies which make renewable energy in rural communities economically sustainable over the long term, while also contributing to social and environmental benefits to the community.
The Social Innovations team has already started working toward its goal and has helped more than 250,000 people worldwide through strategic partnerships focused on three key areas: new business models, new technology and charitable donations.