Today, Senator Bingaman (D-NM), chair of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, unveiled his legislative abomination of President Obama’s proposed “clean energy standard.” As it’s obvious to everyone, including Chair Bingaman, that this “CES” bill will be only a discussion piece, it’s an utter failure. This bill ratchets down the debate on energy policy by reiterating once again that anything managing to reduce C02 emissions at the smokestack is “clean”: Fracking with its massive methane plumes and toxic water pollution–as long as they confess their hundreds of chemicals. Burning old-growth trees—they’ll grow back. Nuclear generation and its radioactive wastes—if you can get public money to pay for it. Over a hundred million tons of toxic coal ash per year–it’s recyclable. If we don’t burn it in America, we’ll raise its climate footprint by shipping it abroad to be burned. Continue reading →