Road to Copenhagen and International Climate Agreement

With less than 100 days before the international community will gather in Copenhagen, Denmark for the United Nations Climate Conference, negotiators are engaged in key discussions on clean energy measures and pollution limits that will be central to an international climate agreement.

On Thursday September 10th, 2009 the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming will hold a hearing entitled, “Roadmap to Copenhagen – Driving towards Success.” The hearing will begin at 9:30 AM, and be held on the U.S. Capitol Complex ROOM NUMBER TBA.

The hearing will focus on progress made thus far and challenges remaining as the December UN climate negotiations approach. It will feature testimony from the Obama Administration’s top climate negotiator, Todd Stern, U.S. Special Envoy for Climate Change, U.S. Department of State.

Witness

  • Todd Stern, U.S. Special Envoy for Climate Change, U.S. Department of State.
House Energy Independence and Global Warming Committee

09/10/2009 at 09:30AM

Global Warming Legislation: Carbon Markets and Producer Groups

Panel 1A: Regulating Carbon Markets in a Cap-and-Trade System

  • Hon. Gary Gensler, Chairman, U.S. Commodities Futures Trading Commission

Panel 1B: Regulating Carbon Markets in a Cap-and-Trade System

  • Timothy Profeta, Director, Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions, Duke University
  • Joseph R. Glace, Vice President for Risk Management and Chief Risk Officer, Exelon Corporation
  • Dr. Dave Miller, Chief Science Officer AgraGate; Research & Commodity Services Director, Iowa Farm Bureau
  • Julie Winkler, Managing Director, Research and Product Development, CME Group, & Member of the Board of Directors, Green Exchange LLC

Panel 2: Producer Group Perspectives

  • Fred Yoder, past President of National Corn Growers Association
  • Luke Brubaker, Brubaker Farms
  • Frank Rehermann, Chairman, USA Rice Producers’ Group
  • Andy Beckstoffer, Chairman and CEO, Beckstoffer Vineyards
Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee
216 Hart

09/09/2009 at 10:00AM

National Park Sub-Committee Field Hearing: to consider climate change impacts on national parks in Colorado and related management activities

The purpose of the hearing is to consider climate change impacts on national parks in Colorado and related management activities. It will be held in the Board Room of Town Hall, 170 MacGregor Avenue, Estes Park.

Witnesses

  • Dr. Herbert C. Frost, Associate Director for Natural Resource Stewardship and Science, National Park Service
  • Alice Madden, Climate Change Coordinator, Office of the Governor, Denver, Colorado
  • Stephen Saunders, President, The Rocky Mountain Climate Organization
  • Dr. David Schimel, Senior Scientist , National Center for Atmospheric Research
Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
   National Parks Subcommittee

08/24/2009 at 12:00PM

Climate Change and Ensuring that America Leads the Clean Energy Transformation

Witnesses

Panel 1

  • Ken Salazar, Secretary, United States Department of the Interior

Panel 2

  • Jon Wellinghoff, Chairman, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
  • David B. Sandalow, Assistant Secretary for Policy and International Affairs, United States Department of Energy

Panel 3

  • Fred Krupp, President, Environmental Defense Fund
  • Bill Fehrman, President and CEO, MidAmerican Energy Company
Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
406 Dirksen

08/06/2009 at 10:00AM

Markup of climate and environmental legislation

During the Executive Session, Committee members will markup the following legislation, nominations, and other bills that may become available:

  • S. 1078, the AmericaView Geospatial Imagery Mapping Program Act
  • S. 30, the Truth in Caller ID Act of 2009
  • S. 251, the Safe Prisons Communications Act of 2009
  • S. 952, Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act of 2009
  • S. 1538, Black Carbon and Other Aerosols Research Act of 2009
  • S. 1539, Greenhouse Gas Observation and Analysis System Act of 2009
  • Nomination of Mr. Christopher P. Bertram, to be Assistant Secretary for Budget and Programs and Chief Financial Officer at the U.S. Department of Transportation (PN 727)
  • Nomination of Ms. Patricia D. Cahill, to be a Member of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (PN 692)
  • Nomination of Mr. Daniel R. Elliott, to be a Member of the Surface Transportation Board (PN 790)
  • Nomination of Mr. Christopher A. Hart, to be a Member of the National Transportation Safety Board (PN 671)
  • Nomination of Ms. Susan L. Kurland, to be Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs at the U.S. Department of Transportation (PN 705)
Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
253 Russell

08/05/2009 at 02:30PM

Pending nominations and legislation

The purpose of the business meeting is to consider the nominations of James J. Markowsky, to be an Assistant Secretary of Energy (Fossil Energy), Warren F. Miller, Jr., to be an Assistant Secretary of Energy (Nuclear Energy) and Director of the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste, Anthony M. Babauta, to be an Assistant Secretary of the Interior (Insular Areas), and Jonathan B. Jarvis, to be the Director of the National Park Service. The Committee will also consider H.R. 1275, which orders the exchange of 46,300 acres owned by Utah for 35,700 acres managed by the Bureau of Land Management in Utah’s Grand, San Juan and Uintah counties, and H.R. 2938, which authorizes the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to extend for up to three consecutive two-year periods the time during which the licensee must commence construction of hydroelectric projects. This business meeting is open to the press and the public but will not be webcast or audiocast.

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
366 Dirksen

08/04/2009 at 02:45PM

Climate Change Legislation: Allowance and Revenue Distribution

Witnesses

  • John Stephenson, Director, Environmental Protection Issues, Natural Resources and Environment Team, Government Accountability Office
  • Dallas Burtraw, Ph.D., Senior Fellow, Resources for the Future
  • Alan D. Viard, Ph.D., Resident Scholar, American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research
Senate Finance Committee
215 Dirksen

08/04/2009 at 10:00AM

Nomination of Gary Guzy to be Deputy Director of the Office of Environmental Quality

Witness

  • Gary Guzy, Nominated to be Deputy Director of the Office of Environmental Quality

Guzy was general counsel at U.S. EPA during the Clinton administration and also a top legal aide to then-Administrator Carol Browner. While at EPA, he argued that greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles could be subject to regulation under the Clean Air Act.

Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
406 Dirksen

08/04/2009 at 10:00AM

The Role of Agriculture and Forestry in Global Warming Legislation

Witnesses

Panel I

  • Roger Johnson, President, National Farmers Union
  • Bob Stallman, President, American Farm Bureau Federation
  • Jo Pierce, family tree farmer, Forest Climate Working Group
  • Jason Grumet, Founder & President, Bipartisan Policy Center

Panel II

  • Tom Vilsack, Secretary of Agriculture, U.S.D.A
  • Lisa Jackson, Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency
  • John Holdren, Director, White House Office of Science & Technology
Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee
325 Russell

07/22/2009 at 10:00AM