US, China close in on accord on key climate issue

	Dec 2, 2010	Associated Press Online
	By ARTHUR MAX CANCUN, Mexico, Dec. 2, 2010 (AP Online delivered by Newstex) -- The United States and China appeared close to agreement Wednesday on a key issue that has troubled climate change negotiations, boosting prospects that talks on global warming will score their first success in years. Analysts said the tone over measuring emissions had softened between the two major protagonists in the 193-nation talks. Over the past year they repeatedly exchanged accusations of reneging on commitments and undermining the talks. The much disputed issue involves how countries account for their actions to limit emissions of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases and to what extent they will allow other countries to review their books. The process is known as measuring, reporting and verifying, or MRV in negotiating parlance. Details remain to be worked out and MRV is only one of several elements that negotiators want to adopt as a package in Cancun. "Maybe the differences are not that huge," said Su Wei, China's chief negotiator. "In general, both countries would like to promote the process" and emerge from Cancun with a deal. The veteran diplomat said China had put in place a rigorous system for measuring and assessing its carbon emissions, and had no objection if other countries examined its reports. "We have no problem with MRV," he said. Previously, China had said only some of its actions would be open to international scrutiny. Earlier this week, U.S. negotiator Jonathan Pershing said the U.S. and China had "spent a lot of energy in the past month working on those issues where we disagree and trying to resolve them. My sense is we have made progress." He did not specify those issues. The annual climate conference is the first since the Copenhagen summit last December, which broke up in acrimony after failing to reach a broad agreement binding industrial nations to deep emissions cuts and committing developing countries to move toward low-carbon growth. Instead, the summit, which drew President Barack Obama, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and nearly 120 other world leaders, ended with a three-page statement of principles that fell short of the unanimous approval required by all parties. This year, negotiators lowered their sights and were seeking to adopt a package of secondary issues that will keep the negotiations alive. Kathrin Gutman, who follows the talks for the World Wildlife Fund, said an agreement on verification would be an important piece of a deal that could "unlock the larger discussion" on emissions reductions. She said the two sides had refused to formally discuss the subject as recently as the last preparatory meeting a month ago, which was held in the Chinese city of Tianjin. The shift apparently derived from compromise proposals by India and Singapore. Barbara Finamore, the China expert for Natural Resources Defense Council, said the Chinese attitude at Cancun reflected "a sea change" in approach. "China made a strategic decision to be as positive, open and forthcoming as they can," she said in an interview. Newstex ID: AP-0001-51296720

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Guest Post: From an Air Corp Soldier

All the ladies will love this one...

While the C-5 was turning over its engines, a female crewman gave the G.I.s on board the usual  information regarding seat belts, emergency exits, etc.  Finally, she said, 'Now sit back and enjoy your trip while your captain, Judith Campbell, and crew  take you safely to Afghanistan '  An old MSgt. sitting in the eighth row thought to himself, 'Did I hear her right? Is the captain a woman? '  When the attendant came by he said 'Did I understand you right? Is the captain a woman?'  'Yes,'! said the attendant, 'In fact, this entire crew is female.'  'My God,' he said, 'I wish I had two double scotch and sodas. I don't know what to think  with only women up there in the cockpit.'  'That's another thing, Sergeant,' said the crew member,  'We No Longer Call It The Cockpit'  'It's now the Box Office.'  Quote of the day:  'Whatever you give a woman, she will make greater. If you give her sperm, she'll give you a baby. If you give her a house, she'll give you a home. If you give her groceries, she'll give you a meal. If you give her a smile, she'll give you her heart.' She multiplies and enlarges what is given to her.   So, 'if you give her any crap, be ready to receive a ton of shit.'

Weatherization Assistance Help Line for USA Residences

Apply for Weatherization Assistance

It is easy to find out if you are eligible and to apply for weatherization. Usually you can do it in a weatherization agency near your home.

• Am I Eligible?
• How does the process work?
• Frequently asked questions

Am I Eligible?

Want to apply immediately?

Select your state from the map on the State Contacts page and get the phone number and address of your state weatherization office.

As many as 20 to 30 million U.S. families are eligible for weatherization services nationwide. Services are provided by the states, and each state has slightly different criteria. All energy services are handled by local weatherization agencies.

If you receive Supplemental Security Income or Aid to Families with Dependent Children, you are automatically eligible to receive weatherization services. In other cases, states give preference to:

• People over 60 years of age
• Families with one or more members with a disability
• Families with children (in most states).

One of the primary factors affecting eligibility is income. Depending on what state you live in, you are eligible for weatherization if your income falls below the "200% poverty level" defined in the PDF below. Note, however, that some states use a third alternative to set eligibility if your income is less than 60% of the median income in your state; and minimum incomes for Hawaii and Alaska, respectively, are slightly higher. For details, see the DOE Poverty Income Guidelines for 2009.

How does the process work?

1. Call local agency
   • The states, not DOE, keep up-to-date lists of local weatherization agencies.
   • All weatherization services are provided by local agencies.
   • Most agencies are nonprofits that employ energy professionals.
   • Some are branches of local governments.
2. Come in and apply
   • Application form usually takes about 20 minutes
   • You must have proof of income for the year prior to application. (For people on fixed incomes, this is usually easy to do).
   • The agency also asks a small number of questions about your household, such as, the number of people living in the home.
3. Your eligibility is determined
   • If you are eligible, your weatherization agency puts you on a waiting list.
   • If you rent, you must get permission from your landlord.
   • People most in need are often moved to the top of the waiting list.
4. Professional energy consultation
   • Analysis of your energy bills
   • Test the infiltration of outside air with a blower door
   • Inspect equipment for health and safety
   • List the most cost-effective energy conservation measures for your home.
5. Workers arrive
   • Local weatherization agency schedules work.
   • Average expenditure of $6,500 per home
   • All work is energy-related. Work does not include new roofing, siding, or similar.
   • Work is typically completed in a day or two.
   • You sign off on final inspection.

Frequently Asked Questions About Eligibility and Applying for Weatherization

Low-income families often have a number of questions for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) on how to apply for weatherization assistance or about DOE's role in the process. If you want to apply immediately for weatherization, you'll need to contact your state agency.

• If I rent, can I still apply?
• If my income is within these national guidelines, will I be guaranteed to receive weatherization services?
• If I'm not eligible for this program, whom can I call for help?
• Why can't I call DOE directly to apply for assistance?
• What happens to my home during the Weatherization Process?
• How will I benefit by participating in this program?

If I rent, can I still apply?

Whether you own or rent, live in a single-family home, multi-family housing complex, or a mobile home, you can apply for assistance. If you rent, you must get written permission from your landlord before weatherization services can be performed.

If my income is within these national guidelines, will I be guaranteed to receive weatherization services?

Not necessarily. You will need to check your states particular guidelines. Funding can also be an issue because Congress allocates a certain amount of funding for the program on a national level, and it varies from year to year. Please be patient if you are put on a waiting list. Your home will be weatherized as soon as possible.

If I'm not eligible for this program, whom can I call for help?

• Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
  Even if you are not approved for DOE-sponsored weatherization assistance, you might still be eligible for short-term assistance on your utility bill from the LIHEAP Program. Funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, LIHEAP serves low-income families. In addition, states often use LIHEAP funds for weatherization to reduce a family's energy bills over the long term.
• Assistance to Individuals Involved in a Natural Disaster
  The Federal Energy Management Agency (FEMA) provides a number of services to assist individuals who are victims of a natural disaster. These services include low-interest loans, some cash grants, and links to assistance from other agencies such as the Internal Revenue Service and Farm Service Agency.
  
  FEMA also lists services it makes available to older Americans who live in federally declared disaster areas, including include Small Business Administration loans and FEMA grants.

Why can't I call DOE directly to apply for assistance?

Because of the guidelines set down by the U.S. Constitution, the federal government does not provide assistance directly to individuals. Instead, this function is the responsibility of the states. DOE does not have an application form to give to individuals for weatherizing their homes. DOE does not accept applications from individuals. Since each state has a different procedure, all we can do is refer you to your respective state agency.

What happens to my home during the Weatherization Process?

The first step in the process is for your local weatherization agency to carry out an energy audit. This agency is a nonprofit weatherization organization, local governmental agency, or sometimes a contractor trained in home energy services. The energy audit is a computerized assessment of your home's energy use and an analysis of which energy conservation measures are best for your home.

Once the audit is complete, the auditor or inspector from the local weatherization agency will meet with you and your family to explain how the work crews will conduct the work. Depending on your needs, the inspector will recommend more work in some homes than in others.

Throughout the weatherization process, the health and safety of your family remain a priority. Following weatherization, an inspector will return to make certain that everything is working properly and that nothing was missed.

How will I benefit by participating in this program?

Weatherization reduces your energy bills for a long time. Some measures, such as insulating your walls or roof, for example, will continue to provide you savings for the lifetime of your house—30 years or more. Others, such as making your heating or cooling equipment more efficient, will provide savings for 10 to 15 years. On average, the value of the weatherization improvement to your house is 2.2 times greater than the cost of the improvement itself.

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Your business received a 5 star rating

On Wed, Dec 1, 2010 at 10:52 AM, MerchantCircle Ratings <reviews@merchantcircle.com> wrote:

Rating Alert

Dear Scotts Contracting, St Louis Renewable Energy Missouri,

A visitor to your MerchantCircle business listing page gave your Holly Hills business a 5 star rating. You will not see a review associated with this rating but it reflects in your business's overall rating.

View Business Listing

If the above link does not work, paste the following address into your browser:
http://www.merchantcircle.com/r?a=858e90798b155eb2b175967db08a2a31

Sincerely,

The MerchantCircle Team
http://www.merchantcircle.com

© 2006 - 2010, MerchantCircle
MerchantCircle, Inc. 800 W El Camino Real, Suite 330, Mountain View, CA 94040

GM creates jobs in the Green Market

G.M. Plans 1,000 New Hires to Develop More Green Vehicles
	Dec 1, 2010	New York Times
	REUTERS DETROIT (Reuters) — General Motors said Tuesday that it would hire 1,000 engineers and researchers in Michigan over the next two years to develop more electric cars and hybrids. "Volt clearly demonstrates that we are well on our way and it is especially true when it comes to the electrification of the automobile," the chief executive, Daniel F. Akerson, said Tuesday at a ceremony observing the start of production of its plug-in hybrid, the Chevrolet Volt. . G.M. has promoted the Volt as a symbol of its commitment to pushing for gains in fuel efficiency and developing new technology. Mr. Akerson drove onto the stage Tuesday in the first commercially made Volt, whose production is starting three years after the automaker announced the project. He said G.M. wanted to be in the forefront of new vehicle technology — starting with the development of powerful battery packs and electric motors — that promises to reduce oil consumption. The Volt is designed to run for 35 miles on a full charge of its 400-pound lithium-ion battery pack supplied by a unit of LG Chem of South Korea. Last week, G.M. released a complex mileage label, which the Environmental Protection Agency worked with the company to create, that rated the fuel economy of the Volt plug-in hybrid as 60 miles a gallon. The number was determined through E.P.A. tests that simulated various driving conditions and included a combination of the gas engine and the battery. Driven on battery power alone, the Volt has a fuel economy equivalent to 93 m.p.g., the E.P.A. determined. The Volt's gas engine was rated at 37 m.p.g. Some critics had questioned whether the Volt would survive G.M.'s restructuring in bankruptcy in 2009 because of its high cost and the low profit margin on the first shipments of the $41,000 car. The G.M. North American chief, Mark Reuss, compared the development of the Volt to a NASA "moon shot." He said the effort, including more than $700 million in new investment, had "created the new soul of G.M." The company will begin shipping the Volt in limited numbers in December. The automaker plans to expand shipments of the Volt to more markets in 2011 and will also start to export the vehicle, Mr. Akerson said.

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Who will Lead the Republicans in the Key House Committees- Energy, Commerce, Appropriations, Transportation

Republican lawmakers compete to lead key House committees
	Nov 30, 2010	Washington Post
	Paul Kane Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-Calif.) opened his pitch to be the next Appropriations Committee chairman with a video that showed a grossly obese Uncle Sam. That fella will be going on a big diet, Lewis declared. Rep. Joe L. Barton (R-Tex.), who is seeking the Energy and Commerce gavel, went with a war theme, comparing GOP leaders to the Dwight Eisenhower-led Army of World War II. In his reenactment, Barton assigned himself the role of Gen. George Patton: "Put anything in my scope and I will shoot it," he declared. They were among a number of eager House Republicans who spent Tuesday afternoon in a basement room in the Capitol Visitor Center trying to convince a select group of their colleagues to let them lead some of the most powerful committees in Congress. Most chairmanships are a done deal, with the ranking Republican taking over from the outgoing Democrat. But several big ones are up for grabs, including Appropriations, which approves more than $1.1 trillion in spending, and Energy and Commerce, which oversees sectors that represent more than half of all U.S. industry. The process, which is likely to culminate next week, will provide an early indication of how Rep. John A. Boehner (Ohio), the next House speaker, intends to manage a conference of at least 242 Republicans with divergent views on governing. His leadership team will either support more junior lawmakers in an effort to tap into tea party activism or side with veterans better versed in taking on a Democratic Senate and administration. Some Republicans say that, no matter the outcome, the new chairmen have already been shaped by voter anger toward spending and deficits, embracing policy changes they had considered anathema as recently as a year ago. "The process is determining who will live up to the commitments we made in the election," said Rep. Eric Cantor (Va.), who, as the incoming majority leader, serves on the exclusive steering committee making the selections. A new style Boehner, a former committee leader himself, has vowed to reempower chairmen and undo the top-down style of the past 16 years, when both Democratic and Republican speakers hashed out decisions over the large wooden conference table in their second-floor suite. The transfer of the House from Democratic to Republican control also highlights the differences between the parties and their use of term limits for chairmen. Democrats, who do not impose any limits, have seen their chairmen grow much older than the rank and file, creating a less energetic crop of power barons to challenge Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). On the 11 most important committees, every outgoing Democratic chairman is 65 or older more than 75 years old. The Republicans, who impose a six-year limit on chairmen and ranking members, have a crop of incoming committee leaders who are, on average, 15 years younger than their Democratic predecessors. Some of the potential chairmen, including Lewis and Barton, argued for term-limit waivers because they assumed their party's ranking spot in 2005 and would get to be chairman for only two years. Whether they get the chairmanships they want or the waivers they seek will be up to the Republican steering committee, a group of nearly 30 that includes top leaders, other veterans and a trio from the 2010 freshman class. Boehner, whose decisions count as four votes, has stocked the panel with at least nine of his most loyal allies. The battle lines are drawn along some ideological and regional lines. No chairmanship is trickier than that of Appropriations, where there doesn't appear to be a good option for conservative activists who consider the panel an enabler of government spending. Earmarks at issue The anti-earmark crowd wants to bump off Lewis, 76, who was once under an FBI probe for his proclivity in backing pet projects. (The case was dropped.) But next in line is Rep. Harold Rogers (Ky.), 72, who has an earmark record every bit as lengthy as Lewis's. Rep. Jack Kingston (Ga.), 55, in committee seniority and an 18-year veteran, presented himself as a fresh face. Kingston enjoys the support of the Wall Street Journal's conservative editorial board, but he, too, has a long history of backing earmarks. "This isn't the time for business as usual," said Kingston, a member of the committee for 16 years. His PowerPoint presentation, "Changing the Culture," included a spending-cap proposal along the lines of the 1985 Gramm-Rudman-Hollings bill, which set deficit-reduction targets. All of the Appropriations candidates have pledged to abide by the earmark ban that Boehner and Cantor have pushed, and they have said they will add anti-earmark Republicans to the committee despite years of fighting those same lawmakers. On the Energy and Commerce Committee, Barton's biggest hurdles to staying in power may be a longtime rivalry with Boehner and a general displeasure with him from other GOP leaders. They bristle at his communications style, which was epitomized over the summer during a hearing about the Gulf Coast oil spill in which Barton apologized to BP. Passing over Barton would make Rep. Fred Upton (Mich.), a moderate on social issues and a staunch conservative on energy policy, the front-runner, but he faces conservative challengers in Reps. John Shimkus (Ill.) and Cliff Stearns (Fla.). The final domino is the Intelligence Committee, where regional dynamics could come into play. If Upton wins the energy gavel, the Texas delegation may be upset over Barton's rejection and could push for one of their own, Rep. William M. "Mac" Thornberry, to head Intelligence. But Mike Rogers (Mich.) is also angling for the spot, and he's got a much closer relationship with Boehner than Thornberry does, setting up another possible battle between the state delegations.

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GOP plans strategy to stymie EPA

	Dec 1, 2010	Politico
	Robin Bravender Get ready for a string of up-or-down votes on the Obama administration's environmental record. Republicans plotting their offensive against the Obama administration's environmental policies are eyeing a powerful weapon that would force the Democratic-held Senate to schedule votes on nullifying controversial regulations. GOP lawmakers say they want to upend a host of Environmental Protection Agency rules by whatever means possible, including the Congressional Review Act, a rarely used legislative tool that allows Congress to essentially veto recently completed agency regulations. The law lets sponsors skip Senate filibusters, meaning Republicans don't have to negotiate with Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) for a floor vote or secure the tricky 60 votes typically needed to do anything in the Senate. The House doesn't have the same expedited procedures, but it's assumed the GOP majority would have little trouble mustering the votes needed to pass disapproval resolutions. A spate of contentious EPA rules that are soon to be finalized could be prime targets, including the national air quality standard for ozone, toxic emission limits for industrial boilers and a pending decision about whether to regulate coal ash as hazardous waste. "We're not going to let EPA regulate what they've been unable to legislate. And if I'm chairman, we're going to have a very aggressive, proactive schedule," Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.), the likely incoming chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, told POLITICO. Upton said specific legislative plans won't be made for the Energy and Commerce Committee until the fight for the chairmanship shakes out. Rep. Joe Barton of Texas and several other Republicans are challenging Upton for the slot. Once the chairmanship is nailed down, "then we will launch a full offensive," Upton said. As far as specific options, he said, "the Congressional Review Act certainly is a good one." But the law comes with complications. For one thing, direct attacks against the administration's policies would certainly face White House opposition and difficulty getting the two-thirds vote needed in both chambers to overcome a veto. And it might look bad politically to be seen as simply undoing environmental regulations with no replacement or direction. "It's kind of a blunt instrument," a former House Republican aide said of the review act. "Whatever it is you're doing, you're knocking it out of the box. That doesn't necessarily get you the right policy result." And Republican efforts to demonize EPA could come back to bite them, a former Senate Democratic staffer said. "The risk in that strategy is being seen as politically motivated even though public health is at stake." The review act has been successful only once since it was enacted in 1996. In 2001, the Republican-controlled Congress voted to overturn the Clinton administration's ergonomics rule. The resolution was signed by incoming President George W. Bush. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) attempted to use it in June to block EPA climate regulations, but her resolution narrowly failed to clear the chamber by a vote of 47-53 after a furious lobbying effort from the White House and Democratic leadership. Several moderate Democrats were placated by a promise to hold a vote on a two-year delay of the EPA climate rules, which has yet to be scheduled. Matt Dempsey, spokesman for Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), predicted several Democrats would join the GOP in voting to roll back energy regulations. "Democrats received the message loud and clear about the Obama agenda" after this fall's election, he said. "I wouldn't be surprised at all if Democrats joined Republicans in stopping some of these regulations coming down the pike." Jeff Holmstead, an industry attorney and former EPA air chief during the George W. Bush administration, said the mere threat of a congressional vote could prod EPA to issue less aggressive rules. "In some ways, the threat of the CRA may be just as useful as actually doing a resolution of disapproval because if the White House believes that a rule is controversial enough or may be controversial enough, they certainly don't want to be in a position to have to veto," he said. "I think they are certainly and legitimately concerned about being viewed as anti-industry and anti-business." Republicans are also considering efforts to force the administration to win congressional approval before major rules are final. Upton suggested such an approach in an October Washington Times op-ed. "Federal government agencies have overstepped their authority and have not been held accountable for their aggressive actions," he wrote. "No significant regulation should take effect until Congress has voted to approve it and the president has had an opportunity to approve or veto congressional action." One option being floated is to reform the Congressional Review Act to force lawmakers to endorse major rules before they take effect, said industry attorney Scott Segal. "In essence, for some smaller category of regulations, the burden of proof would be reversed relative to the existing CRA," he said. "Such a proposal has analogs in certain states and would be consistent with several of the 2010 campaign themes: smaller government, economic recovery and forcing elected officials to take responsibility for the actions of government," Segal said. While a direct assault on environmental regulations might not work, Republicans and EPA foes have other weapons at their disposal. A popular strategy in both chambers next year will be to choke off funding for contentious EPA regulations, including efforts to address global warming. "You're going to see House Republicans aggressively oppose efforts through the front door or the back door to implement a national energy tax, which continues to be the president's approach to energy," Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.), former House GOP Conference chairman and a possible 2012 presidential candidate, told POLITICO. "We think that's the wrong approach, and you'll see House Republicans use the power of the purse to prevent any regulatory effort to implement that," Pence added. During this year's markup of EPA's annual spending bill, House members defeated several amendments aimed at limiting EPA's authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. "I suspect we will have more success with that type of thing in this coming session," said Idaho Rep. Mike Simpson, the top Republican on the House subcommittee that oversees EPA's spending. "There's obviously concern about EPA regulating greenhouse gases." Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-Calif.), seeking to reclaim the Appropriations Committee chairmanship, said this week the panel "will be exercising its prerogative to withhold funding for prospective EPA regulations and defund through the rescissions process many of those already on the books." Other "must-pass" bills could be used to attack EPA, as well. "The most dangerous, or draconian, scenario would be one in which a rider prohibiting any EPA spending on climate issues is attached to, say, DOD appropriations," the former Democratic aide said, because the administration would face a tough political choice over whether to veto the massive spending bill. EPA officials and greens have warned that the impending campaigns against EPA rules pose a threat to public health, and the White House has consistently opposed efforts to hamstring the agency. "This comes back to public health. It's extremely important for EPA to base its decisions on the best science, to be in concert with the law," EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson said Monday during a panel discussion. "The environment is not a partisan issue," she added. "It shouldn't be." And the environmental community plans to fight "tooth and nail" against any efforts to stymie EPA regulations, said Joe Mendelson, director of global warming policy at the National Wildlife Federation. "In the end, we don't think they will prevail, because when faced with a vote between more pollution [and] protecting public health, public health will win." Darren Samuelsohn contributed to this report.

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