The Senate is expected to vote during the week of June 8 on an amendment to a defense spending bill that would express the sense of Congress that the president should use existing authorities related to natural gas and crude oil exports to aid vulnerable allies and partners.
In remarks by Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas)—which are covered in a June 4 Energy and Climate Report article—the amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 (H.R. 1735) would be a way to “to undermine [Russian President Vladimir] Putin’s intimidation and coercion in Europe and the Ukraine.”
As part of an agreement to have his amendment considered, Cornyn said a separate amendment by Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), an opponent of lifting the 40-year-old trade prohibition, would get a vote as well.
The amendment would express the sense of Congress that exports of crude oil to U.S. allies and partners should not increase energy prices or reliance on imported oil.
Senate to Hold Hearing on Energy Bills
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will hold a hearing June 9 on more than three dozen energy measures, including bills on cybersecurity threats and electricity grid reliability.
As covered in a May 8 article, Committee Chairman Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) announced a series of hearings on dozens of energy bills to help shape a comprehensive energy package.
House to Hold Appropriations Hearing
The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies on June 10 will hold a markup of the fiscal year 2016 interior and environment appropriations bill.
Senate to Hold Nomination Hearings
The Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works will hold a hearing June 11 to consider Ann Dunkin to be EPA assistant administrator for environmental information; Thomas Burke to be EPA assistant administrator for research and development; and Jane Nishida to be EPA assistant administrator for international and tribal Affairs.
International Climate Negotiations
The second round of international climate talks will be held June 8-11 in Bonn.
As covered in a May 28 article, paring down a draft text for an international climate agreement will be the first order of business for United Nations negotiators in the lead up to a year-end summit in Paris.
The accord would cover more than 190 countries on post-2020 actions by both developed and developing nations to address climate change.
G-7 to Meet in Bavaria
The Group of Seven nations will meet June 7-8 in Bavaria, Germany.
As covered in an Aril 27 article, the countries are expected to signal to least developed nations—ahead of UN talks in Paris—that they’re willing to spend more money to help them mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change.
Senator to Unveil Carbon Fee Bill
On June 10, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), one of the leading climate change action advocates in the Senate, is scheduled to announce carbon fee legislation at an event at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington.
As covered in a May 19 article, legislation introduced by Whitehouse in late 2014—likely the basis for this year’s proposal—would require large greenhouse gas emitters to pay a fee of $42 for every ton of carbon pollution they emit.
Other Energy, Climate Events
The Environmental and Energy Study Institute will hold a webcast June 12 on “Future Fuels: Can Biofuels Make Gasoline Cleaner, Cheaper?”
Speakers include Rep. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.); Brian West, deputy director for fuels, engines and emissions for Oak Ridge National Laboratory; Robert McCormick, principal engineer for the fuels performance group for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory; Caley Johnson, transportation market analyst for NREL; and Michael Wang, senior scientist for energy systems for Argonne National Laboratory.
The Bipartisan Policy Center will host an event June 11 in Washington on “Batteries for Vehicles and the Electric Grid: Maximizing the Return on Federal R&D Investments.”
Speakers include Rep. Randy Hultgren (R-Ill.); Rep. Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.); Jeff Chamberlain, executive director for Argonne National Lab’s Joint Center for Energy Storage Research; Steve Levine, executive Washington correspondent for Quartz; and Perry Wyatt, director of global product engineering for Johnson Controls Power Solutions.
On June 8, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) will hold an event in Washington on “The Evolving Electricity Distribution System: Challenges and Opportunities.”
Diane X. Burman, commissioner for the New York Public Service Commission, will give a keynote address on the state’s Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) initiative.
Also in Washington, on June 10 CSIS and the National Security Program will host Eirik Waerness, chief economist for Statoil, on the company’s newly released report “Energy Perspectives 2015.”
The United States Energy Association will hold its Annual Energy Efficiency Forum June 11 in Washington.
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