Comments BillS has made

  • Lisa Jackson

    I think people should be less concerned with Jackson's performance in one or two programs.  She did well in some (air, sector-specific enforcement; not so well in others (site cleanup).  The real concern is her capacity to reform the world's largest environmental protection body and reestablish its horribly sullied reputation.  Does Jackson have the skills and energy to travel back and forth across the nation to sell new regulatory programs, stand up to remarkably well informed lawyers and scientists from both industry and environmental groups, and come out in the end with consensus?  Why did Obama choose this woman of middling accomplishments when a world class dynamo is needed in what may be the most critical period yet for EPA?  Does he know something the rest of us don't?  I hope so.On Sussing out some of the criticism of likely EPA head Lisa Jackson posted 11 months, 3 weeks ago 2 Responses

  • Dream Team

    It's good news to get Browner back in the show.  She engages in this environmental business with passion.  And the fact that both she and Obama agreed suggests to me that he will actually let her take the lead in energy/climate change without being manipulated by the White House.  I can't imagine her accepting the under any other conditions.  However, I'm not at all sure what it is about Lisa Jackson that qualifies her for the job as the nation's top environmental official.  She did a couple of interesting things with enforcement in New Jersey, but as far as I can tell, her record has otherwise been average.  I sense her choice involves concessions to other interests.  Certainly she should have the opportunity to show that she will lead EPA vigorously after eight years in the desert.  But there's little in her resume to show that she'll be the dynamic reformer the environment needs.On Obama's green administration picks signal major shifts in policy posted 11 months, 3 weeks ago 6 Responses

  • Clueless

    The funny thing is that Bush probably meant what he said.  But I doubt that the man has any grasp of one of the core principles of environmental protection - that regulation has to force new technologies and economic change and growth.  His thinking probably was that Johnson could issue whatever policies or rules he wanted as long as industry was allowed to keep doing what it wants.  It just doesn't work that way.  It's also hard to imagine that Bush had any direct involvement in sending down pivotal decisions to EPA such as rejection of the California waiver request and not regulating perchlorate.  That has the fingerprints of Cheney, the CEQ, OMB, DOD, and the industrial powerhouses all over it.  I can just imagine Bush shrugging and saying "Sounds good to me."  In terms of the environment, Bush's legacy will be how much damage you can cause by being clueless.   On Stephen Johnson defends Bush as 'pro-environmental' posted 11 months, 3 weeks ago 8 Responses

  • Transition to Green

      The current EPA just announced its latest agreement with China on various cooperative energy conservation and related topics.  For example, the U.S. will help China promote biofuels production for transportation, increase low sulfur fuels for both gasoline and diesel, and pave the way for more stringent emissions standards in the transportation sector.  
      Actually, it seems to me that in the recent past, U.S.-China interaction on the environment has been remarkably cordial, at least based on the press information that's available.  It is also possible that most of this is window dressing concealing the fact that nothing of real substance has been achieved.
      Nevertheless, there appear to be cabinet level interactions between the two governments on environmental matters.  
      I wonder if China is so willing to talk to us because in fact our current positions on non-mandatory control of GHGs is similar.  
      My question is this:  If the next administration in fact achieves mandatory limits (either through regulation based on the current CAA or through new legislation), will we be able to maintain the current, seemingly amiable enviro relationship with China?On Obama folks trumpet meeting with enviros in new video posted 11 months, 3 weeks ago 1 Response