Zichal Promotes Admin Clean Energy, Keystone Again on House Legis Agenda, WaPo on Natural Gas

In advance of Earth Day, Deputy Assistant to the President on Energy and Climate Change, Heather Zichal has an op-ed in Politico on the myriad of Administrative initiatives to support a clean economy for America.  She outlines proposals by this Administration to support small businesses, encourage broad-based economic growth and protect the health and welfare of its people and environment.  Zichal also points to the record number of anti environmental legislation initiated in Congress this session.

Like the energizer bunny, the House of Representatives has yet again put the Keystone XL pipeline back in the national spotlight, attaching language green-lighting the pipeline to a 90-day extension of transportation programs. The House Rules Committee meets Tuesday on the extension, which means it could be on the House floor as soon as Wednesday.

The Washington Post has a lead editorial today on the critical role of cheap natural gas to today's energy supply.  Using natural gas to run heavy fleet vehicles is a good thing, they say.  But the rules about to be finalized at the EPA, which would require natural gas producers to prevent leaks from wells, pipelines, storage tanks and other infrastructure could have a significantly higher impact on the environment.  These rules, would reduce the release of volatile organic compounds that form dangerous smog, but the EPA estimates that they would also result in the collection of 3.4 million tons of methane annually, a quarter of current methane emissions from the sector.