Obama Will Tell Federal Agencies to Consider Impact on Climate Change for Major Projects

Energy industry says: “It’s got us very freaked out”
Environment • Views: 24,658

The next giant right wing freak-out is on the horizon, approaching fast, as President Obama prepares to make good on his promise to act alone in the face of Republican anti-science craziness: Obama Will Use Nixon-Era Law to Fight Climate Change.

President Barack Obama is preparing to tell all federal agencies for the first time that they should consider the impact on global warming before approving major projects, from pipelines to highways.

The result could be significant delays for natural gas- export facilities, ports for coal sales to Asia, and even new forest roads, industry lobbyists warn.

“It’s got us very freaked out,” said Ross Eisenberg, vice president of the National Association of Manufacturers, a Washington-based group that represents 11,000 companies such as Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM) and Southern Co. (SO).

And when the fossil fuel industries get freaked out, the right wing blogs and media are never far behind.

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22 comments
1 Targetpractice  Sun, Mar 17, 2013 11:40:03am

I’ll believe it when Keystone XL finally has a stake driven through its heart.

2 b_sharp  Sun, Mar 17, 2013 11:42:36am

I can hear the sweet, sweet sound of right wing wailing in the distance. The Dopler effect is interesting.

3 Interesting Times  Sun, Mar 17, 2013 11:43:10am

re: #1 Targetpractice

I’ll believe it when Keystone XL finally has a stake driven through its heart.

And on that subject, surprise! The State Department review saying it wouldn’t be all that bad was written by (drumroll please) oil industry flacks!

Keystone XL: US government report drew on analysis by oil consultants

The State Department’s recent conclusion that the Keystone XL pipeline “is unlikely to have a substantial impact” on the rate of Canada’s oil sands development was based on analysis provided by two consulting firms with ties to oil and pipeline companies that could benefit from the proposed project.

Ergo, it’s rubbish and ought to be disregarded by all sane people.

4 Romantic Heretic  Sun, Mar 17, 2013 11:45:04am

I’m wondering why Exxon Mobil is considered a manufacturer. I guess a company that big must own some manufacturing plants. Still, it seems odd.

As far as whether anything will come of this, I think it’s too late. Fifty years ago it might have been different. Now it’s like the old Bugs Bunny cartoon where the computer tells Wile E. Coyote, “Go back and take your medicine.”

5 Kronocide  Sun, Mar 17, 2013 11:45:19am
And when the fossil fuel industries get freaked out, the right wing blogs and media grass roots groups of freedom loving Americans are never far behind.
6 Targetpractice  Sun, Mar 17, 2013 11:45:38am

re: #3 Interesting Times

And on that subject, surprise! The State Department review saying it wouldn’t be all that bad was written by (drumroll please) oil industry flacks!

Keystone XL: US government report drew on analysis by oil consultants

Ergo, it’s rubbish and ought to be disregarded by all sane people.

True, but it’s the sort of cover the administration needs to give the greenlight to the pipeline and I’m pretty much resigned to seeing that happen before year’s end.

7 Kronocide  Sun, Mar 17, 2013 11:47:33am

Upding Obama.

I’ve been disappointed in him with respect to environmental concerns in his first term, but this is a good thing. He has had his hands full in his first term, but climate change impacts will start to make the financial meltdown seem like a moderately minor inconvenience.

8 Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut  Sun, Mar 17, 2013 11:48:25am

Gee, taking the future into account, that’s no good. The GOP doesn’t like the future.

9 Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut  Sun, Mar 17, 2013 11:50:42am

re: #3 Interesting Times

The State Department report also said that the safety was conditional on all regulations being followed and none being waived. My brother John, who’s more savvy about environmental legislation and stuff, has said that writing it that way at least laid solid groundwork for lawsuits, and works to prevent companies from asking for waivers from the regulations.

I’m not for the pipeline, but the pipeline is not really the big problem, and the tar sands will get developed without them if Canadians are stupid-crazy enough to let it happen.

10 efuseakay  Sun, Mar 17, 2013 11:51:43am

Just doing as they are instructed paid to do!

11 blueraven  Sun, Mar 17, 2013 11:52:12am

re: #8 Glenn Beck’s Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut

Gee, taking the future into account, that’s no good. The GOP doesn’t like the future.

And they sure dont like progress.
A conservative stands athwart history yelling STOP

12 Lidane  Sun, Mar 17, 2013 11:52:58am

re: #8 Glenn Beck’s Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut

Gee, taking the future into account, that’s no good. The GOP doesn’t like the future.

The GOP doesn’t like anything after 1865, and there’s evidence that even that would be too modern for them. =P

13 Targetpractice  Sun, Mar 17, 2013 11:53:22am

re: #8 Glenn Beck’s Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut

Gee, taking the future into account, that’s no good. The GOP doesn’t like the future.

Cue the cries of “This will kill jobs!!”

14 blueraven  Sun, Mar 17, 2013 11:55:20am

re: #9 Glenn Beck’s Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut

The State Department report also said that the safety was conditional on all regulations being followed and none being waived. My brother John, who’s more savvy about environmental legislation and stuff, has said that writing it that way at least laid solid groundwork for lawsuits, and works to prevent companies from asking for waivers from the regulations.

I’m not for the pipeline, but the pipeline is not really the big problem, and the tar sands will get developed without them if Canadians are stupid-crazy enough to let it happen.

There is no stopping it I’m afraid. It will get to market one way or the other. If not by pipeline, by rail.

15 Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut  Sun, Mar 17, 2013 11:58:06am

re: #13 Targetpractice

Cue the cries of “This will kill jobs!!”

What is so fucking aggravating is that immature industries, like green energy, provide far more jobs. The longer an industry is settled in, the fewer jobs it needs, since there’s been decades of pruning staff down to the bare essentials.

A serious investment in green energy would result in an enormous job boom in the US. But we won’t do it because the GOP thinks Jesus hates science and that we have no responsibility to act conservatively with the environment.

The GOP are really anti-conservatives.

16 Romantic Heretic  Sun, Mar 17, 2013 11:59:12am

re: #9 Glenn Beck’s Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut

I’m not for the pipeline, but the pipeline is not really the big problem, and the tar sands will get developed without them if Canadians are stupid-crazy enough to let it happen.

We aren’t but Our Dear Leader, whose first loyalty is Alberta, capitalism (or what is called capitalism) and America, in that order, is.

Alberta is going to become the world’s largest toxic waste site. The people in the oil companies will make a mint. And Our Dear Leader will get wingnut welfare in Washington.

17 Kronocide  Sun, Mar 17, 2013 11:59:37am

The THANKS OBAMA memes on Facebook are making my week. Moar satire and mockery, it’s what makes my heart full of joy.

18 Targetpractice  Sun, Mar 17, 2013 11:59:54am

re: #14 blueraven

There is no stopping it I’m afraid. It will get to market one way or the other. If not by pipeline, by rail.

Not stopped, but perhaps hampered. The whole selling point of Keystone XL was that building a pipeline would not only speed the delivery of the tar sands to refineries equipped to handle it, it would also cut down the costs involved in transporting them by truck or rail, both the present means of transport.

They then tried to sweeten the pot by saying that it would lead to “thousand of new jobs” and “bring billions of dollars into the US economy,” both of which have been dissected and found to be either laughably false or wildly optimistic.

19 b_sharp  Sun, Mar 17, 2013 12:08:10pm

re: #16 Romantic Heretic

I’m not for the pipeline, but the pipeline is not really the big problem, and the tar sands will get developed without them if Canadians are stupid-crazy enough to let it happen.

We aren’t but Our Dear Leader, whose first loyalty is Alberta, capitalism (or what is called capitalism) and America, in that order, is.

Alberta is going to become the world’s largest toxic waste site. The people in the oil companies will make a mint. And Our Dear Leader will get wingnut welfare in Washington.

No problem. We’re definitely stupid-crazy enough.

20 blueraven  Sun, Mar 17, 2013 12:11:21pm

re: #18 Targetpractice

Not stopped, but perhaps hampered. The whole selling point of Keystone XL was that building a pipeline would not only speed the delivery of the tar sands to refineries equipped to handle it, it would also cut down the costs involved in transporting them by truck or rail, both the present means of transport.

They then tried to sweeten the pot by saying that it would lead to “thousand of new jobs” and “bring billions of dollars into the US economy,” both of which have been dissected and found to be either laughably false or wildly optimistic.

But ultimately which mode of transport is worse for the environment?
Thousands of trucks and rail cars…or the pipeline?

21 Targetpractice  Sun, Mar 17, 2013 12:15:05pm

re: #20 blueraven

But ultimately which mode of transport is worse for the environment?
Thousands of trucks and rail cars…or the pipeline?

The building of a pipeline will encourage the expansion of tar sands production, to which the reliance of tanker trucks and tanker cars is serving somewhat as a throttle.

22 Patricia Kayden  Sun, Mar 17, 2013 4:44:19pm

That’s okay. They can be as freaked out as they need to be. Good move.


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