http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm The Association of Young Americans Policy Issue of the day. en-us Fri, 10 Sep 2010 21:03:38 -0400 Tue, 19 May 2009 08:16:00 -0400 BlogCFC http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss young_americans@hotmail.com young_americans@hotmail.com http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2009/5/19/New-Auto-Emission-Standards As gas prices inch up, President Obama proposed tougher emission and fuel economy standards. "The Obama administration plans to order auto makers to increase the fuel economy of automobiles sold in the U.S. to 35.5 miles per gallon by 2016, four years faster than current federal law requires," reports the Wall Street Journal. "A senior administration official said late Monday that the regulations would save 1.8 billion barrels of oil and reduce emissions of greenhouse gases by 900 million metric tons over the lifetime of the more efficient vehicles, equivalent to taking 177 million cars off the road or shutting down 194 coal-fired power plants. By 2016, if the new rules take effect as planned, new passenger cars sold in the U.S. will have to meet an average mileage requirement of 39 mpg, up from 27.5 mpg currently. Light trucks would have to deliver an average of 30 mpg, compared with about 23 mpg today."What do you think of imposing stricter fuel economy standards? Learn more about energy in our Issue paper and share your views in our Forums. Energy Environment Tue, 19 May 2009 08:16:00 -0400 http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2009/5/19/New-Auto-Emission-Standards http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2009/4/23/Energy-Legislation-in-House Representatives Henry Waxman (D-Ca) and Edward Markey (D-Ma) have drafted an energey and climate change bill over 600 pages long. The New York Times reports "[o]ne central provision would establish a cap-and-trade program to limit greenhouse gas emissions. Mr. Obama has repeatedly pushed the idea of a cap-and-trade plan as part of any eventual measure he did so again Wednesday at an Earth Day observance in Iowa but he and his senior aides have left the details to Congress. Mr. Waxman, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, where Dr. Chu and Ms. Jackson testified Wednesday along with Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, has begun a month of intensive work on the legislation with the announced goal of moving it through the committee by late May. The panel will hear from 67 witnesses this week and will begin subcommittee work next week." Learn more about energy policy and climate change in the Association of Young Americans' issue papers. Share your thoughts in our Forums on how, if at all, you think the U.S. should change policy related to these issues. Climate Change Energy Thu, 23 Apr 2009 13:06:00 -0400 http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2009/4/23/Energy-Legislation-in-House http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2008/11/18/Oil-Tanker-Hijacked It sounds like a plot line for a new James Bond movie - Pirates hijack a Saudi Arabian oil tanker at sea. AOL News reports that a "brand-new MV Sirius Star, with a crew of 25, was seized far off the coast of Kenya on Saturday and the bandits were taking the ship to a Somali port known as a hub of pirate activity." Piracy orginating from Somalia have been a growing problem. "A NATO flotilla of seven ships destroyers from the U.S. and Italy, frigates from Germany, Greece, Turkey and Britain and a Russian missile frigate are already fighting piracy around Somalia. NATO, however, says its priority is escorting World Food Program ships that deliver basic rations for 3 million hungry Somalis," reports Yahoo News. Share news that you find of interest in our Forums. Energy Foreign policy Terrorism Tue, 18 Nov 2008 08:20:00 -0400 http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2008/11/18/Oil-Tanker-Hijacked http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2008/9/18/Pickens-Energy-Plan Former Texas Oilman T. Boone Pickens recently came out with a plan for reducing our nation's dependance on foreign oil. The plan centers on creation of wind farms across the midwest and more use of domestic natural gas. "Studies from around the world show that the Great Plains States are home to the greatest wind energy potential in the world by far. The Department of Energy reports that 20% of America's electricity can come from wind. North Dakota alone has the potential to provide power for more than a quarter of the country," reports Pickensplan.com. "Building wind facilities in the corridor that stretches from the Texas panhandle to North Dakota could produce 20% of the electricity for the United States at a cost of $1 trillion. It would take another $200 billion to build the capacity to transmit that energy to cities and towns." The plan also notes that creation and maintainence of such wind farms would create many high paying jobs for Americans. Learn more at the link above and in our Energy Issue Paper. Share your thoughts in our Energy Forum. Energy Thu, 18 Sep 2008 08:30:00 -0400 http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2008/9/18/Pickens-Energy-Plan http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2008/6/20/Solar-Power With rising oil prices there has been increased attention to alternative energy sources. The Greater Philadelphia area, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer, has seen a growth in interest in solar power. "The nation and the region are seeing a burst in solar-power projects, especially in New Jersey, now the nation's second-largest solar market after California. The newest incarnation are mini-power plants [...] that power energy-hungry facilities or just feed the electrical grid. Long built by idealists, these solar systems now can pay for themselves in less than five years, at least in New Jersey, where incentives are high. Energy costs also can be locked in, insulating companies from future price hikes." Beyond energy to power homes and businesses, some see solar energy as soon being able to play a role in meeting some transportation needs with plugin electric vehicles expected on the market in a few years. Learn more about solar, and other forms of energy in the Energy issue paper. Share your questions and thoughts about energy sources and uses in our Forums. Energy Fri, 20 Jun 2008 09:00:00 -0400 http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2008/6/20/Solar-Power