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A joint statement from the Attorneys General of New York, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Vermont urging the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish formal emission standards and guidelines for methane in the oil and gas sector following the publication of five technical white papers.

The U.S. plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) market is characterized by rapid growth, with sales increasing 85 percent between 2012 and 2013. The market is dominated by four models: the Nissan LEAF, Chevrolet Volt, Toyota Prius Plug-in, and Tesla Model S. While PEVs produce no tailpipe emissions and generally lower greenhouse gas emissions than gasoline vehicles, challenges remain regarding charging infrastructure and the high cost of battery packs. Federal and state incentives, including tax credits up to $7,500, are used to improve commercial viability.

The document describes the U.S. plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) landscape in 2014, distinguishing between all-electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). It highlights that while PEVs represent less than 1% of new vehicle sales, they are the fastest-growing segment, with sales increasing 85% from 2012 to 2013. The text details specific models like the Nissan LEAF and Tesla Model S, discusses the necessity of expanding public charging infrastructure, and notes a downward trend in battery costs. Additionally, it outlines federal tax credits and various state-level incentives designed to encourage PEV adoption.

The Obama administration's FY 2015 budget proposal emphasizes a "all of the above" energy strategy and the 2013 Climate Action Plan. Key financial highlights include a $1 billion Climate Fund for community adaptation, a $56 billion resilient infrastructure package, and a 26 percent increase in Department of Transportation funding to address an $86 billion maintenance backlog. The budget proposes making renewable energy tax credits permanent and eliminating $4 billion in fossil fuel subsidies. Significant funding increases are directed toward the DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy ($2.3 billion) and various sustainable transportation and building initiatives, while the EPA's overall budget is reduced by 3.8 percent.

Margaret Bowman of the Walton Family Foundation outlines a vision for water resilience in the Colorado River basin to address a projected gap of 3.2 million acre feet between water supply and demand by 2060. The proposed strategy relies on three primary pillars: upgrading agricultural irrigation to save an estimated one million acre feet, implementing urban water efficiency programs to save another one million acre feet, and utilizing wastewater and stormwater recycling to gain 1.2 million acre feet. Bowman advocates for market-based water banking and targeted augmentation over large-scale water import schemes. She emphasizes the interdependence of urban and agricultural sectors and highlights the 2012 international agreement between the United States and Mexico as a model for cooperation, citing a recent pulse flow experiment in the Colorado River delta as an example of ecological and social co-benefits.

The document outlines the U.S. federal government's transition toward climate adaptation as a risk-management strategy. It details the economic impact of 2012 extreme weather events, analyzes legislative attempts like the SAFE and STRONG Acts, and describes executive actions under the Obama administration. It further reviews the adaptation roadmaps of key federal agencies including the USACE, USDA, DOD, DHS, and EPA, while noting a continuing need for a coordinated national adaptation strategy.

The document outlines the U.S. federal government's approach to climate adaptation as a risk-management strategy. It details the economic impacts of extreme weather in 2012, analyzes key legislation like the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013 and the proposed SAFE and STRONG Acts, and reviews executive orders from the Obama administration. Additionally, it summarizes the adaptation roadmaps of federal agencies including the USACE, USDA, DOD, DHS, and EPA, while noting a continuing need for a coordinated national adaptation strategy.

The document examines the debate over the EPA's Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) and its application to Texas. It refutes arguments from Texas officials and energy companies regarding grid reliability, compliance timelines, and the validity of emission data. The brief highlights that many Texas coal plants already possess the necessary control technology and that the rule's implementation would provide significant public health benefits for both downwind states and Texas communities.

The document defends the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), stating it has reduced petroleum dependence by displacing gasoline with over 59 billion gallons of renewable ethanol and 2.7 billion gallons of biodiesel between 2008 and 2012. While acknowledging issues like land use change and GHG emissions from nitrogen fertilizer, it argues these are better addressed through the Farm Bill than RFS reform. The author highlights the growth of next-generation biofuels, noting 160 commercial-scale advanced biofuel projects representing nearly $5 billion in private investment since 2007, and warns that changing the statute now would halt this progress and prolong petroleum dependence.

A coalition of national and regional organizations is advocating for the re-authorization and funding of the Farm Bill's energy title to support the growth of clean energy industries, rural jobs, and agricultural diversification in the United States.

The authors contend that mandatory minimum building codes are essential for public safety and environmental sustainability. They advocate for a three-year update cycle to keep pace with building science and technology, arguing that current codes—specifically the 2012 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC)—significantly reduce energy waste and operational costs for homeowners. The paper highlights the role of the International Code Council (ICC) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) in creating consensus-based standards. It also emphasizes that statewide adoption of these codes reduces disaster-related losses and supports the competitiveness of U.S. building suppliers against international competitors, particularly those in Europe.

The 'Help My House' pilot project provided energy-efficient upgrades—including heat pumps, insulation, and air leak sealing—to electrical cooperative members in South Carolina at no upfront cost. Participants experienced significant reductions in monthly electric bills and improved home comfort. On average, participating houses reduced electricity use by 34 percent, resulting in an average annual saving of $288 after loan payments, with projected savings exceeding $1,100 annually once loans are repaid.

The U.S. Highway Trust Fund (HTF), which relies on federal fuel taxes that have not been adjusted since 1993, is facing insolvency due to rising costs and declining fuel consumption. The document argues that current funding is insufficient, contributing to a 'D' grade for national infrastructure and an annual funding gap of $112 billion. It evaluates several solutions, including indexing fuel taxes to inflation or construction costs, increasing the per-gallon tax rate, and transitioning to a vehicle miles traveled (VMT) fee to better align costs with infrastructure wear, particularly from heavy trucks.

The document examines various energy storage technologies, ranging from established systems like pumped hydro and compressed air energy storage (CAES) to emerging solutions like flow batteries and flywheels. It highlights the critical role of U.S. federal initiatives, specifically Department of Energy (DOE) grants and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) orders, in reducing financial risks and reforming market access to encourage utility-scale implementation. The brief also details specific U.S. projects and proposed legislation, such as the STORAGE Act, aimed at incentivizing storage to support grid stability and the integration of variable renewable energy.

The document examines various energy storage technologies, from established methods like pumped hydro to emerging battery and flywheel systems, highlighting their role in integrating renewable energy and stabilizing the grid. It details the impact of FERC Orders 1000 and 755 and DOE initiatives, such as the Joint Center for Energy Storage Research (JCESR), in reducing technical and economic hurdles. Additionally, it profiles several large-scale U.S. projects and discusses proposed legislation, including the STORAGE Act, aimed at incentivizing storage deployment through tax credits.

The U.S. Highway Trust Fund (HTF), which relies on fuel taxes unchanged since 1993, faces insolvency due to rising costs and declining fuel consumption. The document argues that current funding is insufficient to maintain a state of good repair, citing a $112B annual funding gap. It evaluates several solutions, including indexing fuel taxes to inflation, increasing the per-gallon tax rate, implementing vehicle miles traveled (VMT) fees, or shifting to a fuel sales tax, while highlighting the interdependence of highway and transit systems for economic efficiency.

The document highlights a trend of increasingly destructive wildfires in the U.S., driven by climate change and a lack of funding for hazardous fuel reduction. It notes that forests are shifting from carbon sinks to emitters and that the U.S. Forest Service faces significant budget cuts despite rising fire risks. The author proposes that developing markets for woody biomass and bioenergy could provide a sustainable funding mechanism for forest restoration and wildfire prevention.

The document compiles job data from various government and industry sources to estimate employment in the U.S. clean energy economy. It highlights that as of 2011, there were 3.4 million green jobs in the U.S., and that the 'clean economy' employed 2.7 million people in 2010, surpassing the 2.4 million employed in the fossil fuel industry. The report details specific employment figures for sectors such as biofuels, hydropower, solar, and wind, while projecting significant future job growth in energy efficiency through 2050.

The document details employment figures for the U.S. green economy, noting that the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated 3.4 million green jobs in late 2011. It provides a granular breakdown of jobs in energy efficiency, which totaled 823,105 direct jobs according to a Brookings-Battelle study, and renewable energy, where total estimates range from 903,536 to 1,055,536 jobs across various technologies including biofuels, hydropower, solar, and wind.

The Help My House (HMH) pilot program provided on-bill financing (OBF) for energy efficiency retrofits in 125 homes across eight South Carolina electric cooperatives. The program demonstrated that 'whole house' upgrades—primarily attic insulation, air sealing, and HVAC replacements—could reduce electricity use by an average of 34% (approximately 11,000 kWh per year), with energy savings typically exceeding the annual loan repayments. The pilot achieved a 93% realization rate compared to predicted savings and significantly increased member satisfaction, leading several participating cooperatives to launch their own ongoing OBF programs. While the retrofits reduced coincident peak demand, they had no net impact on the system load factor, suggesting that the simultaneous deployment of load control devices is necessary to improve system efficiency.