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MANCHIN: THE KEY IN PONDERING ‘IDEOLOGY’ VS. ‘REALITY’ OF THE GREEN NEW DEAL: Sen. Joe Manchin, the top Democrat on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, spent most of Thursday morning trying to get his head ahead the Green New Deal, as a resolution on the progressive agenda was being introduced in both chambers.

Manchin labeled the progressive green agenda a set of “ideological beliefs” at a committee hearing on energy innovation, but also said he wanted to understand the “real world” consequences of it and if other countries are going to follow the U.S. in pursuing the agenda.

Manchin said he feared “people using their own facts” to justify the agenda.

Thursday’s was the second hearing for Manchin as ranking member. He is a centrist Democrat with close ties to conservatives, but also wants to see investment by the government in transforming the fossil fuel industry — primarily coal — into a low-carbon energy.

He focused on two pieces of innovation to flesh out the low-emission side of the green agenda.

First, he wants to beef up the Energy Department’s loan guarantee program, or at least see that the remaining $30-$40 billion that the program is authorized for is used for moving the ball forward to commercialize new energy technologies.

Ernest Moniz, the previous administration’s energy chief, suggested at the hearing that the committee could pass legislation to expand the loan program to include energy infrastructure development, which would be a change that would help the transition to a low-carbon economy.

Second, Manchin wants to see the successful commercialization of converting coal mines into resources for generating “rare earth” minerals needed to build the batteries for electric cars and other technologies required for renewables and other technology.

A principal for a project being advanced with federal help in his home state of West Virginia said the process should be commercial in a year.

The technology is focused on transitioning the coal mining industry toward a new, cleaner way of mining for minerals that will be needed for advanced technologies for a clean energy transition, but also for defense applications and things like iPhones.

Right now, most of the rare earth minerals the U.S. needs are imported from China.

Welcome to Daily on Energy, written by Washington Examiner Energy and Environment Writers John Siciliano (@JohnDSiciliano) and Josh Siegel (@SiegelScribe). Email [email protected] for tips, suggestions, calendar items and anything else. If a friend sent this to you and you’d like to sign up, click here. If signing up doesn’t work, shoot us an email and we’ll add you to our list.  

‘GREEN NEW DEAL’ COULD WIN OVER CENTRISTS BY AVOIDING FOSSIL FUEL BAN: Centrist Democrats and some environmental groups are welcoming a subtle shift in the “Green New Deal” that could help broaden its support beyond progressives.

A “Green New Deal” resolution unveiled Thursday does not explicitly call for the end of fossil fuels or a shift to 100 percent renewable energy, as originally intended.

Instead, the proposal, introduced by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., would mandate “net-zero greenhouse gas emissions” by 2030 but allow for noncarbon-emitting energy sources that aren’t wind and solar power to reach the goal.

“If we’re serious about fighting climate change, the goal has to be reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” former Rep. John Delaney of Maryland, a centrist Democratic 2020 presidential candidate, told Josh. “Renewable energy is an important means to that end, but not the goal in and of itself.”

By leaving the door open for nonrenewable energy, Democrats taking their first stab at transforming lofty goals to combat climate change into policy are recognizing the political and technical realities of the nation’s energy system.

The United Nations’ climate change panel has said that policies to eliminate U.S. carbon emissions should include “clean” energy sources that aren’t renewable for it to be technically and economically feasible.

Environmental groups that recently demanded House leaders push for 100 percent renewable electricity signaled flexibility to modifications of the “Green New Deal.”

“We have always recognized there will be a transition to no fossil fuels,” said Bill Snape, senior counsel at the Center for Biological Diversity. “We recognize that some of the goals, as laudable as they are, will be vague. And we will continue arguing about them. That is part of the Democratic process. The New Deal itself did not happen in a month.”

Read more of Josh’s report here.

OCASIO-CORTEZ UNVEILS HER GREEN NEW DEAL: Thursday’s “Green New Deal” nonbinding resolution introduced Thursday contains many of the same core tenets promised by progressives eager to push Democrats further to the left on climate policy heading into the 2020 presidential election.

The resolution contains several goals that can’t be turned into actual programs since it is nonbinding, and thus serves as a messaging document more than a policy proposal. NPR posted the resolution online Thursday. Ocasio-Cortez and Markey are hosting a press conference Thursday afternoon, where they are expected to announce at least 60 House co-sponsors and nine Senate supporters.

Those backers include 2020 presidential candidates Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Kamala Harris, D-Calif., Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., and Cory Booker, D-N.J. Likely presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., will also be a co-sponsor.

What’s in the bill: Along with a move to zero-carbon electricity, the resolution urges the elimination of carbon emissions from other major sectors of the economy — manufacturing, buildings, transportation, and even agriculture — all while ensuring a “fair and just transition for all communities and workers.”

The resolution proposes massive public investments in clean energy infrastructure on things such as light rail and weatherized buildings.

The plan calls for the availability of a job to anybody who wants one, making every residential and industrial building more energy efficient, and building a national “smart” grid to better incorporate wind and solar power. It also calls for universal healthcare.

PELOSI NAMES DEMOCRATIC MEMBERS TO CLIMATE COMMITTEE: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced Thursday the Democratic members of Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, which she created to elevate the issue ahead of the 2020 election.

The Democratic members of the panel are Reps. Ben Ray Lujan of New Mexico, Suzanne Bonamici of Oregon, Sean Casten of Illinois, Julia Brownley, Jared Huffman and Mike Levin of California, Donald McEachin of Virginia and Joe Neguse of Colorado. Rep. Kathy Castor of Florida is the previously announced chairwoman of the select committee.

“This new Select Committee will spearhead Democrats’ work to develop innovative, effective solutions to prevent and reverse the climate crisis,” Pelosi said in a statement. “It will generate the energy and action required to permanently reduce pollution so that we can honor our responsibility to be good stewards of the planet for future generations.”

Tensions with Green New Deal: Progressive “Green New Deal” supporters have criticized the committee for not being ambitious or powerful enough. Pelosi, meanwhile, mocked “Green New Deal” supporters, telling Politico in a story published Thursday, “The green dream or whatever they call it, nobody knows what it is, but they’re for it right?”

Awaiting Republicans: The panel, which does not have the authority to write legislation, will also have to include Republicans.

According to the House rules package establishing the committee, Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California, the minority leader, is responsible for recommending six of the 15 members, including a ranking member. Republicans have not named their members yet.

FEDS SAY OIL SANCTIONS AGAINST VENEZUELA WON’T HURT AMERICANS AT THE PUMP: A new Energy Department analysis says the Trump administration’s sanctions on Venezuelan oil will have limited effects on U.S. refineries that rely on it, and thus won’t strain the nation’s gasoline supply or lead to price increases.

The Energy Information Administration addressed the sanctions on Wednesday in its Week in Petroleum analysis. The independent agency said Venezuelan crude oil imports by U.S. refiners have been waning for years, and that the sanctions only sped up the inevitable and complete elimination of oil imports from the South American country.

“However, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) does not anticipate any significant decrease in U.S. refinery [fuel production] runs as a result of these sanctions,” the new analysis said. “U.S. imports of Venezuelan crude oil have been falling for several years and refineries have been replacing Venezuelan crude oil with other heavy crude oils.”

Read more from John’s story here.

INTERIOR BACKTRACKS ON USING ENTRANCE FEES TO FUND SHUTDOWN OPERATIONS: The Interior Department’s National Park Service is backtracking from its plan to use entrance fees for the cost of operations of the parks incurred during the government shutdown.

National Park Service Deputy Director Dan Smith announced the agency would use funds provided in Congress’ short-term funding bill to retroactively pay for park operations and staffing during the government shutdown, according to a memo obtained by the Hill.

Acting Interior Secretary David Bernhardt had previously signed an order directing the park service to use entrance fee funds to keep parks open. The Trump administration opted to keep national parks open during the five-week government shutdown, an unusual move with the majority of staff furloughed.

Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minn., chairwoman of the Appropriations Committee panel that oversees the Interior Department’s budget, requested Wednesday that the Government Accountability Office open a probe into the legality of using park entrance fees during the government shutdown.

REPUBLICANS INTRODUCE BILL TO END ELECTRIC VEHICLE TAX CREDIT: Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, and Rep. Jason Smith, R-Mo., introduced legislation Wednesday ending the electric vehicle tax credit.

The legislation would also force drivers of alternative vehicles to pay a fee that would go into the Highway Trust Fund, the main vehicle for spreading money to states to help pay for transportation projects.

The fund is largely financed by the federal gas tax.

A counterpunch effort: The push by Republicans against the EV tax credit comes as some lawmakers are seeking to expand it.

The electric vehicle industry, led by Tesla and GM, is calling for Congress to reform the $7,500-per-vehicle tax credit for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, primarily by lifting the individual manufacturer cap, and allowing the credit to be used into future years.

The credit, first introduced in 2009, is capped at 200,000 vehicles sold per automaker. EV-maker Tesla has already reached the limit.

RUNDOWN

Wall Street Journal Venezuela’s opposition leader Guaidó to name new Citgo board, Rubio says

Reuters Long, strange trip: How US ethanol reaches China tariff-free

Bloomberg Twitter spat erupts as FERC chair scolds colleagues for post

Washington Post Key West bans popular sunscreens to help keep coral alive

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