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Category Archives: Energy

Biden administration will investigate Trump-era attacks on science

The New York Times – “The Biden administration will investigate Trump-era political interference in science across the government, the first step in what White House officials described as a sweeping effort to rebuild a demoralized federal work force and prevent future abuses. In a letter to the leaders of all federal agencies, the White House… Continue Reading

Joe Biden has picked 58 nominees to fill key roles in his administration so far

Washington Post – We are tracking 791 government positions among about 1,250 that require Senate confirmation. Presidents are required to fill roughly 4,000 politically appointed positions in the executive branch and independent agencies, including more than 1,250 that require Senate confirmation. The Washington Post and the Partnership for Public Service are tracking nominees for roughly… Continue Reading

GAO has issued the 2021 High-Risk List

GAO – “Every 2 years, we report on federal programs and operations that are vulnerable to waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement, or that need broad reform—our High Risk List. Our 2021 report reviews the status of the 36 areas on the list and outlines steps to lasting solutions. We testified before the House that the… Continue Reading

EU law requires companies to fix electronic goods for up to 10 years

Euronews: “Companies that sell refrigerators, washers, hairdryers, or TVs in the European Union will need to ensure those appliances can be repaired for up to 10 years, to help reduce the vast mountain of electrical waste that piles up each year on the continent. The “right to repair,” as it is sometimes called, comes into… Continue Reading

Access Denied: Federal Web Governance Under the Trump Administration

The Environmental Data & Governance Initiative (EDGI), February 2021: “The Trump administration pushed the boundaries of rules, guidelines, and norms in most areas of governance. Manipulating public information was a key tactic, which included dramatic and damaging changes to federal agency websites relating to environmental regulations. These changes led the Environmental Data and Governance Initiative… Continue Reading

Majority of Americans Confident in Biden’s Handling of Foreign Policy as Term Begins

Pew Report – “President Joe Biden begins his term with a majority of Americans having confidence in his ability to handle international affairs. In a new Pew Research Center survey, 60% of U.S. adults have confidence in Biden on foreign policy – fewer than said the same of Barack Obama as his presidency began (74%)… Continue Reading

To Avoid a Repeat of Blackouts, Researcher Suggests Diversifying

Medium – Big Idea: Thousands of Californians suffered blackouts this fall, but research offers steps for utilities to prevent similar outages in the future. “In October and November, more than 800,000 Californians lost power, when Pacific Gas & Electric turned off transmission lines to prevent wildfires. In 2011, 54 Japanese nuclear plants were closed, after a… Continue Reading

Power Outages in Texas

CRS Insight – Power Outages in Texas, February 17, 2021: “Texas’s power outages, many experts argue, are largely a result of policies for electricity independence that the state has pursued for decades. Texas operates its own independent electrical grid, run by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) that serves most of the state. Texas… Continue Reading

How are bitcoin created?

The Hustle – “An illustrated guide to bitcoin mining, blockchains, and the “minting” process of cryptocurrency’s most popular coin. Bitcoin has had a banner start to the year. Less than 2 months after breaking the $20k barrier for the first time, the digital currency more than doubled in price, hitting a high of $49,344 this… Continue Reading

U.S. Chamber Releases In-Depth Analysis of U.S.-China Economic Relationship

“The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s China Center, in partnership with Rhodium Group, released a new analysis today examining the complexity of the U.S.-China economic relationship. A first-of-its-kind study, “Understanding U.S.-China Decoupling: Macro Trends and Industry Impacts” seeks to better understand the degree to which the U.S. and Chinese economies are intertwined and dependent on each… Continue Reading

Operational Strategy for K-12 Schools through Phased Mitigation

CDC- Schools and Child Care Programs​ – Plan, Prepare, and Respond – “As communities plan safe delivery of in-person instruction in K-12 schools, it is essential to decide when and under what conditions to help protect students, teachers, and staff and slow the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. It is critical for… Continue Reading