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The document argues that the expansive use of offset credits under AB 32 risks undermining the cap-and-trade system by allowing companies to avoid actual emissions reductions. The authors propose reducing the percentage of total emissions that can be met through offsets to no more than 2.5% per compliance period and implementing stricter protocol requirements to prevent 'business-as-usual' activities from being credited. They also recommend enhanced verification oversight, including performance reviews of verification bodies and measures to prevent double counting of credits across different programs.

The report finds that U.S. thermoelectric power plants withdrew between 60 billion and 170 billion gallons of freshwater daily in 2008, with coal plants accounting for the majority of this use. It identifies significant regional disparities in water intensity, noting that plants in the East generally withdraw more water due to a higher prevalence of once-through cooling. The analysis reveals that power plants contributed to water-supply stress in 20% of the 400 stressed watersheds identified. Furthermore, the report highlights critical gaps and inaccuracies in U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) data, including the total absence of reporting from the nuclear fleet. It argues that climate change and population growth will exacerbate these stresses, urging a shift toward low-water cooling technologies and low-carbon energy sources to ensure grid reliability and ecosystem health.

The report finds that U.S. power plants withdraw massive volumes of freshwater, with coal and nuclear plants being the most water-intensive. This demand contributes to water-supply stress in hundreds of watersheds and is exacerbated by droughts and heat waves. The authors highlight significant gaps and inaccuracies in EIA reporting and advocate for 'water-smart' energy choices, such as dry cooling and low-water renewables, to ensure energy reliability and water security.

The report argues that the Levy and Vogtle nuclear projects carry significant financial risks for ratepayers and taxpayers due to potential cost escalations and delays. It finds that both Florida and Georgia could meet their projected energy demand growth more cost-effectively through aggressive energy efficiency targets and the development of renewable energy resources, which are presented as lower-risk and lower-cost alternatives to the Westinghouse AP1000 reactor design.

The report examines the expansion of local and regional food systems in the U.S., highlighting their potential to create tens of thousands of jobs and improve public health and environmental outcomes. It identifies scalability challenges, such as inadequate infrastructure and misaligned USDA programs, and proposes policy interventions including increased funding for rural infrastructure, whole-farm revenue insurance, and enhanced research on regional supply and demand.

The report examines the growth of local and regional food systems in the U.S., highlighting their potential to create tens of thousands of jobs and improve public health and environmental sustainability. It identifies barriers to scaling these systems, such as inadequate infrastructure and safety nets, and recommends increased federal funding and research to support small-scale farmers and low-income consumers.

The report analyzes the potential for the Midwest to transition to a clean energy economy by adopting the Midwestern Governors Association's (MGA) targets: reducing electricity use by 2% annually and sourcing 30% of electricity from renewables by 2030. Using a modified National Energy Modeling System (NEMS), the Union of Concerned Scientists finds that these goals are achievable and would lead to significant job creation, consumer savings, and carbon emission reductions. The analysis highlights wind and biopower as the most competitive resources, while noting that transmission capacity remains a primary barrier. The report argues that regional targets would complement a federal carbon policy, making such a policy more affordable for consumers.

The report argues that transitioning the Midwest to a clean energy economy through renewable electricity and energy efficiency standards would create 85,700 net new jobs, save consumers $42.8 billion on energy bills, and significantly reduce CO2 emissions by 2030.

The document argues that large-scale commercial agriculture and timber enterprises, rather than subsistence farming, are the leading drivers of tropical deforestation. It highlights the role of cattle ranching in the Amazon, palm oil plantations in Southeast Asia, and the global demand for timber and paper. The text emphasizes that tropical deforestation accounts for approximately 15 percent of global warming pollution due to the release of carbon stored in trees. It cites the Brazilian soybean moratorium as a successful example of how industry can grow without further forest clearing through societal pressure and improved land-use practices.

The Union of Concerned Scientists asserts that U.S. nuclear plants are vulnerable to severe accidents and terrorist attacks, citing the Fukushima crisis as a warning. The report identifies failures in NRC enforcement and industry priorities, specifically regarding spent fuel storage and fire protection. It proposes eight key reforms, including extending regulations to cover severe accidents, expanding emergency planning zones beyond 10 miles, and increasing the monetary value assigned to human life in cost-benefit analyses to mandate safer reactor designs.

The Union of Concerned Scientists outlines 23 recommendations to improve U.S. nuclear safety, arguing that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) prioritizes business interests over public safety. Key proposals include extending regulations to cover 'severe' accidents, expanding emergency planning zones beyond 10 miles, and mandating the transfer of spent fuel from pools to dry casks. The report also calls for more realistic terrorist threat assumptions, stricter fire protection enforcement, and an increase in the dollar value assigned to human life in cost-benefit analyses to justify necessary safety retrofits.

Dr. Edwin Lyman of the Union of Concerned Scientists testifies that small modular reactors (SMRs) do not offer clear economic advantages over large reactors and may introduce greater safety, security, and proliferation risks. He argues that S. 512 should require the Department of Energy to prioritize designs that significantly exceed current safety standards rather than those relying on weakened regulations. Additionally, he cautions against statutory deadlines for NRC licensing and suggests that S. 1067 explicitly link cost-reduction research with the enhancement of safety and security.

The document details how climate-induced temperature increases exacerbate ground-level ozone pollution, leading to significant respiratory health burdens and economic costs. For the continental United States, the "climate penalty on ozone" is projected to cause millions of additional acute respiratory symptoms and thousands of additional hospitalizations for infants and seniors by 2020 and 2050, with health impact costs estimated at $5.4 billion in 2020 alone. In California, these effects could result in nearly 443,000 additional cases of serious respiratory illnesses and costs exceeding $729 million in 2020.

The report analyzes the relationship between rising temperatures and ground-level ozone formation, projecting that climate change will increase ozone concentrations and exacerbate respiratory health issues. Using the EPA's BenMAP model, the authors estimate that by 2020, the 'climate penalty' could result in 2.8 million additional acute respiratory symptoms and $5.4 billion in health costs. By 2050, these impacts are projected to rise significantly, with 11.8 million additional respiratory symptom occurrences. The report emphasizes that while precursor emissions are declining, warming temperatures may offset these gains, particularly in California, the Midwest, and the Mid-Atlantic.

The report identifies a shift in tropical deforestation from state-initiated to enterprise-driven processes, primarily fueled by global urban and export demand for commodities like beef, soy, palm oil, and timber. While drivers vary by region—cattle and soy in Latin America, palm oil and timber in Southeast Asia, and small-scale farming in Africa—the document highlights that global emissions from land-use change have declined by 39% between 2000 and 2009. It argues that development without deforestation is possible through agricultural intensification, the restoration of abandoned lands, and international mechanisms like REDD+.

The report presents wind power as a viable alternative to fossil fuels in the U.S., highlighting its competitiveness with natural gas and its ability to reduce CO2 emissions and water consumption. It details economic advantages such as job creation and local tax revenue, while addressing environmental impacts on wildlife and human concerns regarding noise and aesthetics. The document concludes that reaching a target of 20 percent wind electricity by 2030 is feasible and affordable, provided the U.S. adopts stable long-term policies like a national renewable electricity standard.

The document provides a technical overview of nuclear containment, the process of reactor and spent fuel pool meltdowns, and the specific risks posed by radioactive isotopes like iodine-131 and cesium-137. It argues that U.S. nuclear plants share the same key vulnerabilities as the Fukushima reactors, particularly regarding power outages and spent fuel storage, and critiques the NRC's lack of requirements for new reactor designs to be demonstrably safer than existing ones.

The document outlines the financial hazards of investing in new or retrofitted coal plants in the U.S., citing competition from natural gas and renewables, rising fuel costs, and the likelihood of future carbon pricing. It highlights that coal is no longer the low-cost option it once was and that many existing plants are inefficient and ripe for retirement. The report suggests that the U.S. can replace most coal power with renewable energy, demand reduction, and natural gas within 15 to 20 years.

The report details the financial hazards of investing in coal power, highlighting that new coal plants are now more expensive than many cleaner options. It identifies several risk factors: eroding market share due to energy efficiency, renewables, and natural gas; volatile coal prices driven by global demand (especially from China and India); and high, unpredictable construction costs. Additionally, the document emphasizes the financial liabilities posed by EPA regulations regarding air toxins, coal ash, and cooling water, as well as the long-term risk of carbon pricing. It concludes that the traditional cost and baseload advantages of coal have disappeared, making it an unacceptably risky investment compared to a transition toward a diversified, sustainable energy system.

The document examines technical approaches to establishing reference levels for REDD+, comparing historical baselines with forward-looking and adjusted models. It argues that while different methods exist, most produce similar emissions reductions and costs, and that prioritizing the participation of high-forest low-deforestation (HFLD) countries is essential to prevent global leakage.