OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Climate war begins

by Laura Barron-Lopez and Timothy Cama - 05/28/14 7:08 PM ET

CHAOS IS A LADDER: The flurry of harsh rhetoric, and lambasting began Wednesday between industry and the administration over President Obama’s coming climate regulation on existing power plants.

The chaotic rush of reports and comments, seeking to tilt the public’s response to a rule that has yet to be unveiled reached a new peak Wednesday, but only one side will survive the climb.

{mosads}Obama started off the day with a strong right undercut to the jaw of climate skeptics in Congress.

“We can’t call on others to make commitments to combat climate change if so many of our political leaders deny that it is taking place,” Obama said on Wednesday. “You see, American influence is always stronger when we lead by example.

Entering the game on your right … We have the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The country’s largest business lobby concluded in its report released Wednesday that the rule could cost more than $50 billion a year by 2030, and cut up to 224,000 jobs. It would reduce the United States’ coal generating capacity by up to a third while devastating coal states’ economies, the nation’s largest business lobby said.

And from the left … White House adviser John Podesta threw down the gauntlet later Wednesday afternoon, taking to Twitter to blast the Chamber report.

Podesta said the Chamber was “wrong again on pollution.”

The EPA quickly added its two cents, increasing tensions. It said that the history of pollution regulation shows that the economy can thrive while cleaning up its air, despite the business community’s dire predictions.

And corporate sustainability group Ceres came out with its own report, saying power plants have already cut their emissions drastically in recent years, showing that they can handle future cuts.

That’s just a taste of what’s to come in the escalating war over Obama’s cornerstone climate change regulation.

CLIMATE BATTLE OF ICE AND FIRE I: The war continues Thursday as the Natural Resources Defense Council will hold a call touting the “hundreds of thousands” of new energy efficiency jobs the administration’s new carbon rule on power plants will create.

The first-ever limits on carbon pollution is also expected to save consumers billions on utility bills, and sharply reduce carbon emissions, the green group states in an advisory.

NRDC’s analysis of the pending proposal will present a far different estimate than the Chamber report.

CLIMATE BATTLE OF ICE AND FIRE II: Also on Thursday, the Advanced Energy Economy, which represents energy businesses will host a breakfast discussion on the carbon emissions rule.

AEE will release a snapshot poll that details the public’s view on federal efforts to modernize the nation’s electric system, specifically existing power plants. The executives of three advanced energy businesses will tout the potential role they could have under the new rule.

Rest of Thursday’s agenda…

Climate change: The House Science, Space and Technology Committee will examine the process the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change undergoes for its reports, and the coming Paris talks.

WOTUS: The House Small Business Committee will conduct a hearing on EPA’s proposal to redefine which bodies of water it can regulate for Clean Water Act purposes. The title of the hearing, “Will EPA’s ‘Waters of the United States’ Rule Down Small Businesses?” should give a hint as to its content.

The panel will hear from representatives of three business groups that oppose the rule, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, the National Association of Home Builders and the National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association. Lawmakers will also welcome William Buzbee, an environmental law professor at Emory University School of Law.

Seismic air guns: Oceana is hosting a conversation on oil and gas companies use of seismic air guns when exploring in the Atlantic Ocean. “Veep” star Reid Scott will join Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) in pressing the administration to reconsider allowing the use of air guns, which can be harmful to marine life.

LNG exports: A House Foreign Affairs subcommittee will host a hearing on the effect that liquefied natural gas exports could have on Asia. The full committee held a hearing on the subject of natural gas exports in March.

Energy cybersecurity: Saul Ewing LLP will hold its eighth annual energy and public utilities symposium. This year it will focus on cybersecurity and the energy and utilities industries. Former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge will deliver the keynote address.

Energy infrastructure: The Hudson Institute will host a discussion on energy infrastructure in the United States. The featured speaker will be Rep. Gene Green (D-Texas), who has sponsored legislation to reform and expedite the process of approving crossborder pipelines such as the Keystone XL project.

AROUND THE WEB:

Green groups sent letters to 32 energy companies and 44 insurers and brokers saying fossil fuel companies could be liable for opposing policies to fight climate change, Business Insurance reports.

International efforts to penalize carbon dioxide emissions are being hampered by major countries, such as Australia, Russia and Japan, that are pulling back their cap-and-trade or carbon tax policies, Bloomberg News reports, citing a World Bank report.

A new interactive map from an anti-fossil fuel group shows where crude oil shipments are traveling on railroads, the Houston Chronicle reports.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

– EPA grows its climate change trends list
– White House adviser: Chamber ‘wrong again‘ on climate rule
– Humans cause climate change? ‘Jeopardy’ host thinks so.
– House lawmakers to EPA: We handle climate policy, not you
– Report: Power plants reducing emissions
– Putin hopeful Ukraine will pay gas bill
– Obama: US can’t ‘exempt’ itself from global climate rules
– Feds ramp up energy, climate data programs
– Bloomberg: Cities will be key in climate fight
– Chamber: Costs of EPA climate rule could top $50 billion a year
– Feds reject call to move spent nuclear fuel