1. FOR SHELL’S ARCTIC AMBITIONS – LESS MIGHT BE MORE. Already a month behind on its plans to start drilling in the Arctic Ocean, Shell Oil is suddenly in a position where less may be more as it tries to open the new frontier. With a series of mishaps and bad breaks appearing to be making a dent in their plans, Shell and its backers know that if at least some work isn’t started this year, environmentalists who oppose Arctic drilling will have another full year to build legal and political obstacles. Read more
2. LAWMAKERS SPAR OVER CHEMICALS BILL. Spoiling what has traditionally been a bipartisan issue, members of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee are squabbling over the Democrats’ decision to mark up on Wednesday a measure, sponsored by Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., that would reform the Toxic Substances Control Act. Four GOP members of the committee, including ranking member James Inhofe of Oklahoma and Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, sent a letter to Lautenberg charging that Democrats were being disingenuous by first agreeing to engage in good-faith negotiations over a new measure to then ultimately decide to mark up Lautenberg’s bill. Lautenberg indicated he is not backing down. Expect partisan sparks to fly at an Environment and Public Works hearing today on the same topic.
3. INTERIOR EXPECTED TO FINALIZE SOLAR PLANS. The Interior Department is expected to finalize as soon as today plans to develop solar power on federal lands. The draft plan laid out in October would cover almost 300,000 acres across several Western states, including presidential battlegrounds Nevada and Colorado. Probably not coincidentally, the Obama campaign released an advertisement on Monday that highlighted, among other issues, President Obama’s commitment to renewable energy. In the ad, which is running in both Nevada and Colorado, he stands in front of solar panels.
4. PENTAGON GREEN-ENERGY ADVOCATES RAMP UP BEFORE SENATE VOTE. As the fight over the Defense Department’s renewable-energy programs heats up, the White House and clean-energy advocates fire back against Republican efforts to slash biofuels spending, scheduling public events. Today, the Pew Project on National Security, Energy and Climate holds a briefing on the issue, featuring former Navy Secretary and Republican Sen. John Warner of Virginia. On Wednesday, veterans group Operation Free holds a panel titled “Biofuels Strengthen National Security,” featuring Senate Armed Services Committee member Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., and Kate Brandt, the Navy Secretary’s Special Adviser for Energy. The New Policy Institute holds a Wednesday event on DOD and new energy technology.
5. FRACKING FRIENDS AND FOES FIRE UP THEIR CAMPAIGNS. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for 21st Century Energy on Thursday rolls out a new campaign aimed at highlighting the economic benefits of shale oil and gas fracking – such as increased income for local businesses and higher tax revenues for cities, states, and towns. Meanwhile, the environmental group Earthworks this week brings its “Tour de Frack” protest to Washington, spending the week lobbying lawmakers before staging an anti-fracking rally downtown.