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84 results
Should the Renewable Fuel Standard Be Reformed?
The Environmental and Energy Study Institute argues against reforming or repealing the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), asserting that the policy has successfully reduced petroleum dependence and stimulated the rural economy. While acknowledging challenges such as land use change and the 'blend wall,' the author contends that these issues should be addressed through the Farm Bill and EPA flexibility rather than statutory changes, which could jeopardize billions in private investment in next-generation biofuels.
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Document type: Statement
Cattail (Typha spp.) Harvesting in Manitoba: A legislative and market analysis for operationalization and carbon emission offsets
This report analyzes the legislative landscape for cattail harvesting in Manitoba, finding a current lack of explicit federal or provincial regulation. It proposes two management models—private for-profit extraction and publicly funded land management—to integrate cattail harvesting into the regional bioeconomy and water management plans.
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Document type: Report
Managing Climate Extremes and Disasters in the Agriculture Sector: Lessons from the IPCC SREX Report
This briefing synthesises the IPCC SREX report's findings on climate extremes and the agriculture sector. It highlights that disaster risk is increasing due to higher exposure and vulnerability, particularly in developing countries. Key threats include intensified droughts, heatwaves, and flooding, which cause significant economic losses and threaten food security. The document advocates for 'climate-smart' agriculture, improved disaster risk management, and a combination of short-term coping strategies and long-term structural adaptations to build resilience.
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Document type: Briefing
Developing an Advanced Biofuels Industry: State Policy Options for Lean and Uncertain Times
This report by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) examines the state of the advanced biofuels industry in the United States following the 2008 economic recession. It analyzes national policy trends, identifies critical barriers to commercialization—including technological hurdles, market volatility, and regulatory uncertainty—and provides ten specific policy recommendations for state governments to support sustainable, local biofuel development during periods of limited fiscal capacity.
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Document type: Report
GHG_FinalSummary
This 2010 report by the World Resources Institute (WRI) analyzes the potential for the United States to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through existing federal regulatory authorities and announced state actions through 2030. The study evaluates three levels of regulatory ambition—'Lackluster', 'Middle-of-the-Road', and 'Go-Getter'—across various sectors including power plants, transportation, and industry. It concludes that while existing tools can drive significant reductions, they are insufficient on their own to meet the Obama Administration's Copenhagen pledge or the IPCC's recommended targets for limiting global temperature increases.
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Document type: Report
Statement of Daryl W. Ditz On Behalf of the Center for International Environmental Law Before the U.S House of Representatives Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection At a Hearing on Prioritizing Chemicals for Safety Determination
Daryl W. Ditz, representing the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), provided testimony to the U.S. House of Representatives on November 17, 2009, arguing that the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) has failed to protect public health. Ditz proposed three primary reforms: authorizing the EPA to phase out high-priority chemicals (specifically PBTs), establishing a health-based safety standard for all chemicals where manufacturers bear the burden of proof, and mandating comprehensive, updated data submissions from chemical manufacturers to fill critical information gaps.
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Document type: Statement
State Actions on Climate Change: A Focus on How Our Communities Grow
This report by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) analyzes how state climate action plans in the United States incorporate land use, transportation, and green building policies as of July 2009. It finds that while transportation and green building are common, specific 'smart growth' land use practices are the least frequent component of these plans.
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Document type: Report
Jobs from Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency
This fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) details the employment potential of renewable energy (RE) and energy efficiency (EE) sectors globally and within the United States. It compiles various studies and reports to argue that clean energy transitions can provide quality, long-term jobs and economic growth, contrasting these trends with the decline of traditional fossil fuel employment.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Sustainable Forest Biomass: Promoting Renewable Energy and Forest Stewardship
This report by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) examines the role of woody biomass from forest management as a renewable, low-carbon substitute for fossil fuels in the United States. It argues that while biomass can support forest stewardship and rural economies, federal policy must ensure sustainability to avoid overharvesting and biodiversity loss. The document provides a comprehensive set of policy recommendations across five areas: forest sustainability, renewable energy incentives, bioenergy incentives, feedstock development, and research and outreach.
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Document type: Report
Jobs from Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency
This fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) details the job creation potential and economic impacts of renewable energy (RE) and energy efficiency (EE) sectors across the United States and internationally. It compares the employment capacity of green industries against fossil fuel and nuclear sectors and highlights the role of specific policy instruments, such as Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) and tax credits, in driving workforce growth.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Cellulosic Biofuels
This July 2008 fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) details the status of cellulosic biofuel production in the United States, highlighting the number of biorefineries in development, the technologies and feedstocks used, and the federal and state investments supporting the industry.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Jobs from Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency
This fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) provides a comprehensive overview of employment data and projections across the renewable energy (RE) and energy efficiency (EE) sectors, comparing them with traditional fossil fuel and nuclear energy industries at national, state, and international levels.
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Document type: Fact sheet
CRIME DOES NOT CAUSE PUNISHMENT
This research paper by Michael Tonry argues that incarceration rates are a matter of political policy rather than a response to crime levels, asserting that sentencing severity does not significantly impact crime trends. Using comparative data from several developed nations, the author contends that mandatory minimum sentences fail to deter crime or ensure consistency, and suggests that South Africa should reduce its imprisonment rates and adopt a structured approach to sentencing.
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Document type: Research paper
MOBIL CHEMICAL CORPORATION
This case study examines the legal and environmental controversies surrounding Mobil Chemical Company's introduction of 'degradable' Hefty garbage bags in 1989. It details the gap between consumer expectations of plastic degradability and the reality of landfill conditions, leading to lawsuits by seven U.S. states and the FTC for deceptive advertising.
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Document type: Case study
The U. S. Experience with Economic Incentives for Protecting the Environment
This report section details the use of economic incentives—specifically pollution charges, fees, and taxes—to protect the environment in the United States. It examines various instruments including water and air emission fees, solid waste disposal charges, product taxes, and specialized fees for wetlands and grazing, analyzing their roles in raising revenue and incentivizing pollution reduction.
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Document type: Report
lowest common denominator
This report by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) analyzes a proposal by pesticide industry lobby groups CropLife America and the European Crop Protection Association (ECPA) regarding the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). CIEL argues that the industry is using 'regulatory cooperation' as a mechanism to compel the European Union to lower its health and environmental standards to match the weaker standards of the United States, effectively creating a 'regulatory ceiling' that would hinder global pesticide regulation.
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Document type: Report
stateagspopsletter-967e5ecbdb84bb51.pdf
A letter dated February 28, 2006, from several U.S. state Attorneys General to the House Committee on Energy & Commerce opposing specific provisions of HR 4591. The bill aims to implement the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs Treaty), but the signees argue it contains overly broad preemption language and flawed EPA review procedures that would hinder state and federal environmental protections.
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Document type: Statement
ENERGY LEADERSHIP IN A TIME OF NEED: A BLUEPRINT FOR STATES
This briefing from Energy Innovation provides a blueprint for U.S. state policymakers to maintain energy efficiency and electrification progress in buildings and industry following the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), which the author projects will negatively impact the U.S. economy.
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Document type: Briefing
Syndicates launder stolen US COVID-19 funds in Kenya
This case study by the Institute for Security Studies describes a scheme where money laundering syndicates stole US COVID-19 relief funds from child nutrition programmes and laundered them through Kenya, Turkey, and Dubai. It highlights significant failures in Kenya's legal framework and enforcement, noting that despite US convictions, no suspects have been prosecuted in Kenya nor have their Kenyan assets been seized.
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Document type: Case study
rmi-electrification-rate-design-analysis-assumptions-66a0b39b031ddf3e.pdf
This document outlines the analytical methodology and specific utility-level assumptions used by RMI to estimate changes in residential utility bills under various tariff structures during electrification. The analysis utilizes NREL's ResStock dataset for building load profiles and integrates tariff data from Genability and RateAcuity, with specific adjustments made for utilities in Minnesota, Maryland, Maine, and Massachusetts to ensure consistency and accuracy in bill calculations.
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Document type: Report