#Michael Regan

[dontmeantobepoliticalbut]

The Environmental Protection Agency unveiled a new proposal Thursday to cut greenhouse gas emissions from thousands of power plants burning coal or natural gas, two of the top sources of electricity across the United States. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), criticizing the “radical” proposal, issued his own scorched earth ultimatum on Wednesday ahead of the announcement.

Manchin, chair of the Senate Energy Committee and the top recipient of contributions from the oil and gas industry during the 2022 election cycle, vowed Wednesday to oppose every one of President Joe Biden’s nominees for the EPA “until they halt their government overreach.”

“This Administration is determined to advance its radical climate agenda and has made it clear they are hellbent on doing everything in their power to regulate coal and gas-fueled power plants out of existence, no matter the cost to energy security and reliability,” Manchin wrote in a statement released Wednesday.

The EPA proposal would require most fossil fuel-fired power plants to slash their greenhouse emissions by 90% between 2023 and 2040. The EPA projects the emissions reduction would deliver up to $85 billion in climate and health benefits over the next two decades by heading off premature deaths, emergency room visits, asthma attacks, school absences and lost workdays.

“Alongside historic investment taking place across America in clean energy manufacturing and deployment, these proposals will help deliver tremendous benefits to the American people — cutting climate pollution and other harmful pollutants, protecting people’s health, and driving American innovation,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan said in a statement issued Thursday.

By 2035, the Biden administration aims to shift all electricity in the U.S. to zero-emission sources including wind, solar, nuclear and hydropower, Roll Call reported. In a written statement, Manchin warned the administration’s “commitment to their extreme ideology overshadows their responsibility to ensure long-lasting energy and economic security.”

Manchin is up for reelection during the 2024 election cycle, but he has not yet announced whether he will run.

Last month, West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice (R) announced his campaign for Manchin’s seat. The Democrat-turned-Republican is among the most popular governors in the country and leads a state former President Donald Trump won by nearly 40 percentage points in 2020.

Manchin has hammered the Biden administration in recent weeks for its implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act, the president’s signature climate change bill that the Democratic senator was instrumental in shaping.

“Neither the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law nor the IRA gave new authority to regulate power plant emission standards. However, I fear that this Administration’s commitment to their extreme ideology overshadows their responsibility to ensure long-lasting energy and economic security and I will oppose all EPA nominees until they halt their government overreach,” Manchin said in his Wednesday statement.

What Manchin did not disclose in his statement, however, is that the EPA proposal would jeopardize one West Virginia coal facility that’s particularly lucrative for Manchin’s family business, Enersystems Inc., POLITICO reported. Enersystems delivers waste coal to the Grant Town power plant, which was reportedly already struggling financially, troubles that are expected to deepen with the strict new climate proposal.

Manchin personally received $537,000 from Enersystems last year, according to POLITICO’s analysis of personal financial disclosures filed with the U.S. Senate, and he has been paid more than $5 million by the company since he was first elected in 2010. His son, Joe Manchin IV, now runs Enersystems. The Senator’s campaign has also benefited from political contributions from Enersystems, OpenSecrets reported last year.

“This is going to make it harder for them to stay around. You won’t find written anywhere in the rule that this is supposed to be putting coal plants out of business, but just do the math,” Brian Murray, director of the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability at Duke University, told POLITICO.

In 2020, Manchin’s home state of West Virginia generated about 90% of its power from coal, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. By contrast, less than 20% of the energy generated nationally comes from coal. Many states, including neighboring Virginia, are phasing out coal by replacing it with natural gas.

While the U.S. may show signs of moving away from coal, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission told the Senate Energy Committee earlier this month that the country was not prepared to abandon coal and maintain a reliable energy system.

“Coal is more dependable than gas and yes, we need to keep coal generation available for the foreseeable future,” said Commissioner Mark Christie.

Manchin took another swipe at the EPA on Thursday during an energy committee hearing on permitting reform, when he accused the agency of preventing the development of carbon capture technology by denying companies the permits they need to trap captured carbon underground.

“Don’t tell me that you’re going to invest in carbon capture sequestration when we can’t get a permit to basically sequester the carbon captured,” Manchin said. “This is the game that’s being played. I know it, they know I know it, and we’re not gonna let them get away with it.”

#us politics #news #opensecrets #Environmental Protection Agency #sen. joe manchin #west virginia #Senate Energy Committee #biden administration #president joe biden #2023 #clean energy #green energy #natural gas #coal #big coal #fossil fuels #fossil fuel industry #Michael Regan #roll call #Gov. Jim Justice #Inflation Reduction Act #infrastructure bill #infrastructure reform #Enersystems Inc. #politico #U.S. Energy Information Administration #Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[ifreakingloveroyals]

30 November 2013 | Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and William van Cutsem attend the Barclays Premier League match between Aston Villa and Sunderland at Villa Park in Birmingham, England. (c) Michael Regan/Getty Images

#Prince William #Duke of Cambridge #Prince of Wales #William van Cutsem #Britain #2013 #Michael Regan #Getty Images

[mcb3k]

Talking Climate with Administrator of the EPA, Michael Regan

You better believe I tripped over myself to fit this into my schedule this week.

#youtube #EPA #Inflation Reduction Act #Hank Green #Michael Regan #Climate Change #climate news #environment

[kp777]

#green economy #joe biden #biden administration #michael regan

[tomorrowusa]

The Environmental Protection Agency is creating a youth council to advise the agency on climate change and other environmental matters.

“We can’t tackle the environmental challenges of our time without input from our younger communities, who’ve long been at the forefront of social movements,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan said in a press release yesterday. The worst effects of climate change are still ahead as greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels keep building up in Earth’s atmosphere. The actions policymakers take today to curb that pollution will decide what kind of planet younger generations will inherit. So it makes sense for the EPA to create seats for them at the table.

They are currently taking applications.

Applications are open now until August 22nd to join the council. It asks youth to write about why they want to join, including a media project like a blog, video, podcast, song, or piece of artwork. Anyone who wants to apply has to show “notable commitment to environmental issues,” like being involved in initiatives at school or through community projects. They also have to be US citizens between the ages of 16 and 29.

^^^ If that print is too small, go here for full view.

#environmental protection agency #epa #national environmental youth advisory council #climate change #the environment #michael regan #biden administration

[uboat53]

Science time? How about science and government? Government scientists, that is. Time for a SHORT RANT (TM).

A few weeks ago, a train derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, releasing toxic chemicals. Officials burned off the chemicals because they were afraid that, if they didn't, the train would simply explode and scatter those chemicals off in a far less controlled manner. So this raises the question:

If you're a government scientist, probably at the EPA, what should you tell the residents of the nearby town?

Well, in mid-February, the EPA told residents that it was safe to return to their homes. Once there, residents described symptoms ranging from rashes to headaches to nausea. In early March, scientists found high levels of hazardous chemicals in the air around the town.

Does this mean the EPA scientists, government scientists, got it wrong? Did they give inaccurate information to the public?

Well, the best answer I was able to find came in an NPR interview with Peter DeCarlo, a professor of Environmental Health and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.

He pointed out in the interview on February 16th, after the EPA had said it was safe, that they hadn't done proper measurement. Instead of sampling the air for the specific chemicals at issue and determining what the concentration was, they'd used handheld devices that don't measure any chemicals specifically and don't have the sensitivity to measure concentrations accurately.

In addition, when the EPA had done proper sampling, where air is collected and then taken to a lab where chemical concentrations can be measured, it hadn't done it at the accident site or downwind from the derailment. In other words, there was no way the EPA could have known, from the data they had, whether or not it was safe for residents to return.

In other words, based on the information we have, I'd say the answers to my questions, in reverse order are "no", "yes", and "we cannot say whether it is safe to return".

So why did EPA/government scientists say it was safe? Well, I think it's time to talk about uncertainty. Specifically, how most people, especially in politics these days, seem to be unable to admit it.

You see, in science, when something isn't certain, we're supposed to say so. "I don't know" is an accurate and perfectly acceptable answer. But if you're in government, "I don't know" is a good way to get ignored and, if you say it too often, completely sidelined. In fact, it's the perfect way to get your budget cut. That's likely why, instead of honestly answering "I don't have enough data to say" when asked if it was safe to return to East Palestine, the EPA told residents it was safe based purely on the fact that they didn't have enough data to say it was unsafe.

"How do we improve that?" you may ask. Well that's tough.

There's a huge incentive in the direction of saying things are safe. Unsafe places are bad for business and cost money. More importantly, they also drive negative news cycles which are bad for the politicians that government scientists work for.

Real change would require changing politician's mindsets with regard to science and, to do that, you have to change how they're rewarded and punished. The fact is that probably not a single politician is going to lose their job or even lose a significant amount of votes because of what happened in East Palestine.

Voters aren't paying close enough attention to know that the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works and the House Committee on Energy and Commerce are the ones with oversight over the EPA or that Michael S. Regan is the EPA Administrator and, more importantly, their news sources aren't providing them with this information. They have no idea who is responsible, it's just nameless, faceless government bureaucrats to them, so how are they supposed to hold anyone responsible for a major screw-up like this?

So I'll be honest, I don't see it getting better anytime soon. In the future, if you're deciding whether something is safe or not, you're probably best off trying to find the opinion of an independent scientist, preferably a university professor with no financial ties to the issue at hand, than blindly trusting government scientists.

If you're interested, here are some resources if you're interested in learning more about what I've described above:

I wish I had better news on this front but I don't. If you have any thoughts on the matter I'd love to hear them, particularly if they're more optimistic than mine.

#epa #environmental protection agency #michael regan #east palestine #train derailment #ohio train derailment #ohio train disaster #science #scientists #government scientists #peter decarlo #short rant (tm)

[arthropooda]

The Biden administration announced tougher limits Wednesday on smog-forming pollutants from power plants and other industrial facilities, a move that officials said would reduce air pollution in downwind communities and help Americans suffering from asthma and other respiratory problems.

The new standards, announced by the Environmental Protection Agency, are intended to place tighter constraints on air pollution from 23 states. These are states with coal and natural gas power plants that benefit economically from these facilities, but release pollution that drifts across state lines, where it affects millions of people who can’t control it.

This interstate air pollution regulation, known as the “good neighbor” rule, has long-pitted Rust Belt and Appalachian states against those on the East Coast. They are especially vulnerable to pollution blown in by the nation’s prevailing west-to-east winds. Many of these states have argued for years that they cannot meet federal air quality standards without the federal government’s help in cutting smog and soot pollution that originates across their borders.

“More than 80 million people live in downwind areas that do not meet health standards for this pollutant,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan said Wednesday. “Our more vulnerable communities are hardest hit by these devastating effects.”

#Epa #Power plants #Pollution #Smog forming #The angry army #Biden administration #Americans #Environmental protection agency #Rust belt #Appalachian #East coast #Administrator #Michael regan #Communities

[leosgreyfringe]

me too!!!

#mikel is also a leandro trossard enjoyer #leandro trossard #arsenal fc #pc: michael regan

[texaschainsawmascara]

onemanriet on ig

#horror #art #valentines day #the exorcist #halloween #the shining #saw #regan macneil #laurie strode #michael myers #jack torrance #jigsaw #cinema #film #movie #jack nicholson #jamie lee curtis #stephen king #stanley kubrick #linda blair

[boardchairman-blog]

**Shots of the Episode**

One Piece (2023)

Season 1, Episode 1: “Romance Dawn” (2023) Director: Marc Jobst Cinematographer: Nicole Hirsch Whitaker

#shots of the episode #2023 #one piece #one piece netflix #netflix #one piece 2023 #marc jobst #nicole hirsch whitaker #matt owens #steven maeda #eiichiro oda #monkey d. luffy #inaki godoy #emily rudd #mackenyu #jeff ward #vincent regan #michael doman #morgan davies #nami #roronoa zoro #zoro #2023 tv #cinematography #fantasy #screencaps #2.00:1 #pirates

[thetempleofthemasaigoddess]

ONE PIECE HEADCANON

Garp is still in possession of Ace, Gol D. Roger's cutlass. Roger had left it on the Oro Jackson when he left to turn himself in to the Marines, but Rayleigh had Garp have it, asking him to give the sword to Roger's son, one day. Garp promised; he wanted to gift the sword to Ace on the day his grandson would officially join the Marines.

#One Piece #One Piece Live Action #OPLA #Monkey D. Garp #Vice-Admiral Garp #Vincent Regan #Gol D. Roger #Gold Roger #Michael Dorman #Portgas D. Ace #Fire Fist Ace #Bellona's headcanons #Bellona's One Piece headcanons #Bellona's stuff

[clarkkantagain]

josef michael and regan walker

#josef michael #regan walker #back #close #style

[ifreakingloveroyals]

30 May 2014 | In this handout image provided by The FA, President of the Football Association Prince William, Duke of Cambridge speaks to England player Leighton Baines and England manager Roy Hodgson in the team changing room after the International Friendly match between England and Peru at Wembley Stadium in London, England. (c) Michael Regan - The FA/The FA via Getty Images

#Leighton Baines #Roy Hodgson #Prince William #Duke of Cambridge #Prince of Wales #Britain #2014 #Michael Regan #The FA #The FA via Getty Images

[gothicbutcher666]

💀🔪

#serial killer #michael myers #freddy krueger #jason voorhees #regan #halloween #friday the 13th #nightmare #the exorcist #horror movies #horror #movies #movie gif

[kp777]

#epa #coal ash #environment #michael regan #federal regulation

[brokehorrorfan]

Spirit Halloween exclusive carries Halloween, The Exorcist, and Killer Klowns from Outer Space bobbleheads. Made by Royal Bobbles, the polyresin collectibles are $39.99 each.

Michael Myers with the clothesline measures 8.25 high, 3.75" wide, and 3" deep. Regan on the staircase measures 4.75" heigh, 3" wide, and 3" deep. Baby Klown in the toilet measures 6.25" high, 3.5" wide, and 2" deep.

#halloween #the exorcist #killer klowns from outer space #michael myers #horror #regan macneil #linda blair #nick castle #killer klowns #spirit halloween #toy #gift #royal bobbles #bobblehead #john carpenter