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Serial No. 112-151: The American Energy Initiative, Part 20: A Focus on EPA's Greenhouse Gas Regulations, Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Energy and Power of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, House of Representatives, One Hundred Twelfth Congress, Second Session, June 19, 2012
This is the June 19, 2012 hearing "American Energy Initiative, Part 20" held before the House Subcommittee on Energy and Power. From the opening statement of Ed Whitfield: "I might say that today is the 20th day of our American Energy Initiative, and this morning, as I said, we will focus on the Environmental Protection Agency's [EPA] greenhouse gas regulations. Now, there are so many regulations coming out of EPA that it is very easy to trivialize the impact of these regulations. EPA's greenhouse gas regulations range from rule-setting new emission standards for cars and trucks to complex permitting requirements for donut factories, farmers, to rules affecting power plants. These greenhouse gas rules are a regulatory overreach in my view and serve as a backdoor cap and tax policy that Congress rejected in the last Congress. Any action regarding climate change should rest with Congress and not unelected and unaccountable bureaucrats at the Environmental Protection Agency." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Ed Whitfield, Bobby L. Rush, Fred Upton, Joe Barton, Henry A. Waxman, John D. Dingell, Robb McKie, Carl Shaffer, Charles Smith, Daniel J. Weiss, William L. Chameides, Louis Anthony Cox, Jr., Gerry Sweeney, David A. Wright, David D. Doniger, Steven E. Winberg, and Barbara Walz.
United States. Government Printing Office
2013
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President's News Conference with President Enrique Peña Nieto of Mexico and Prime Minister Stephen J. Harper of Canada in Toluca, Mexico, February 19, 2014
This is from the remarks of President Barack Obama titled, "The President's News Conference with President Enrique Peña Nieto of Mexico and Prime Minister Stephen J. Harper of Canada in Toluca, Mexico." From the remarks of President Barack Obama on February 19, 2014: "First, we're focused on making it easier to trade. […] We're going to keep investing in infrastructure - like roads, bridges, border crossings - so our goods are getting to market faster. […] We've agreed to keep working to complete negotiations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership, including strong protections for our workers and the environment, so that we can compete in the fast-growing markets of the Asia-Pacific. […] Second, we continue to deepen our clean energy partnerships, which create jobs and combat climate change. Yesterday I announced that the United States will develop new fuel economy standards for heavy-duty trucks, standards that reduce carbon pollution. […] Number three, we know that realizing our full potential as individual countries and as a region means confronting the criminals and narcotraffickers who unleash so much violence on our citizens. Here in Mexico, the security forces and the Mexican people continue to make enormous sacrifices in that fight, and our three nations are united against this threat. In the United States, we continue to be committed to reduce the demand for illegal drugs, and we'll continue our unprecedented efforts to combat the southbound flow of illegal guns and cash. And finally, given our shared commitment to democratic values and human rights, I want to take this opportunity to address the situation in Venezuela and Ukraine and the unacceptable violence in those two countries, which the United States strongly condemns."
United States. Office of the Federal Register
Obama, Barack
2014-02-19
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Status and Trends of Wetlands in the Coastal Watersheds of the Conterminous United States 2004 to 2009
From the executive summary: "Coastal wetlands in the United States are diverse and include both saltwater wetlands that occur along the coastal shorelines and freshwater wetlands that extend inland within the coastal drainages. Influenced by water that connects the upper reaches of the watershed with the oceans or Great Lakes, these wetlands play a pivotal role in the watershed. Wetlands in coastal watersheds provide crucial habitat for wildlife by providing spawning grounds, nurseries, shelter, and food for finfish, shellfish, birds and other wildlife. These wetlands also help improve water quality by filtering and detoxifying runoff from residential, agricultural, and urban areas. Furthermore, there is an increasing awareness of the important role these coastal wetlands play in buffering coastlines against storm and wave damage and in stabilizing shorelines in the face of climate change impacts."
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; United States. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; United States. Department of the Interior
Dahl, Thomas E.; Stedman, Susan-Marie
2013
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Remarks on the Security and Sustainability Partnerships for Shutting Down Black Markets and Dismantling Webs of Corruption and Criminality
"We meet at a critical time. Our world is becoming more dangerous than ever, and where threats know no boundaries. In the past few years alone, we have witnessed a host of catastrophic disasters and threats that imperil our humanity and planet alike. Across a wide spectrum of global risks, we have seen the devastating effects that earthquakes, typhoons, flooding, pandemics such as ebola, cyber attacks, terrorism, and transnational crime and corruption can have on communities seeking to integrate more fully into the global economy and build more dynamic markets. While climate change and some of these other global shocks are not a topic of our meeting this week, sustainable security will remain one of the pressing global challenges in the coming years and an area that the OECD [Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development] will continue to underscore as part of the High-Level Risk Forum's risk management and resiliency initiatives. Our dialogue today will focus on illicit markets, and how the international community is working across borders to combat criminal entrepreneurs and threat networks that continue to hijack the advances of modernization and profit from trafficking in drugs, humans, counterfeits, endangered wildlife, and other illicit goods. Oil theft has also become an attractive and lucrative area for transnational organized crime and illicit networks. Across black markets around the world, a web of thugs and criminals is corroding and corrupting our institutions and penetrating key sectors by diversifying into high--profit, and low-risk areas such as oil bunkering, counterfeits, and even match fixing in sports."
United States. Department of State
Luna, David M.
2014-10-08
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Getting to the Left of SHARP: Lessons Learned from West Point's Efforts to Combat Sexual Harassment and Assault
In the context of this report, SHARP stands for Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention. From the Brief Synopsis on the Strategic Studies Institute website: "On July 26, 1948, President Harry Truman signed Executive Order 9981, ending the practice of segregating the military services by race. That same year, the Army allowed women to join the services on an equal basis with men. Both of these steps preceded the larger societal changes that allowed fully equal treatment of all types of American citizens in military service. Just over 2 years ago, Congress repealed the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy, allowing for gays and lesbians to openly take their place in the military. Our procedures and policies for successful gender integration have grown and evolved. The authors share five principles for leaders and commanders on the prevention of sexual harassment and assault, as well as associated 'Tips' for implementation: (1) Leaders identify and break chains of circumstance; (2) Education is preferable to litigation; (3) What's electronic is public; (4) Don't ignore pornography; and, (5) Unit climate is the commander's responsibility. These principles and their associated tips are not panaceas, and these recommendations are submitted for discussion and feedback."
Army War College (U.S.). Strategic Studies Institute
Caslen, Robert L.; Jebb, Cindy R.; Gade, Daniel . . .
2015-01
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Army Corps of Engineers: Efforts to Assess the Impact of Extreme Weather Events, Report to Congressional Committees
"The Corps plans, designs, and constructs water resources infrastructure, such as dams and levees. According to the U.S. Global Change Research Program, the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events are increasing. Much of the Corps' infrastructure was built over 50 years ago and may not be designed to operate within current climate patterns, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014 included a provision for GAO [Government Accountability Office] to study the Corps' management of water resources in preparation for extreme weather. This is the first in a series of reports GAO is issuing on this topic. GAO's other reports will examine operations and dam and levee safety, which GAO plans to issue in fiscal year 2016. This report explores (1) how the Corps prepares for and responds to extreme weather events in its planning and operation of water resources projects, and (2) the extent to which the Corps has assessed whether existing water resources infrastructure is prepared for extreme weather events. GAO reviewed Corps guidance on planning, operations, and assessments, and interviewed Corps officials from headquarters and eight districts-- selected, in part, on number of projects."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2015-07
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Budget Hearing-National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Hearing Before the U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies, One Hundred and Fourteenth Congress, March 18, 2015
This March 18, 2015 hearing titled, "Budget Hearing-National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration" was held before the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations, and Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies. The following is taken from the opening statement of Kathryn Sullivan: "The environmental intelligence and the services NOAA [National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration] provides are in higher demand today than ever before. The increased frequency and severity of extreme weather events means that NOAA must forecast and respond to these events with improved skill and accuracy. But the greater demand for our services goes beyond just extreme weather. Our marine transportation system must be more efficient to accommodate growing volume of commerce at our ports. NOAA provides the positioning data, tide and currents information, and nautical charts that ensure safe navigation and keeps commerce flowing. Furthermore, changes in marine ecosystems due to climate and other stressors are increasing the need for a greater number of advanced scientific assessments to sustain and promote economically viable commercial and recreational fisheries, and to ensure that threatened and endangered species are protected. NOAA's integrated response to extreme events such as droughts, hurricanes, tornadoes, and heat waves demonstrates how our agency leverages its diverse capabilities to support the nation from preparedness to response to recovery: data collected from a spectrum of platforms enables the development of environmental intelligence from science-based models to support a suite of products to provide decision support to individuals, communities, and governments. I thank you for recognizing NOAA as a key agency supporting the preparedness, response, and recovery efforts surrounding extreme events." Statements, letters, and other materials submitted for the record can be found from the following: Kathryn Sullivan.
United States. Congress. House. Committee on Appropriations
2015-03-18
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FY16 U.S. Forest Service Budget, Held Before the United States Senate Committee on Appropriations, Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, One Hundred and Fourteenth Congress, First Session, March 18, 2015
This testimony compilation from the March 18, 2015 hearing "FY16 U.S. Forest Service Budget," was held before the United States Senate Committee on Appropriations, Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee. The following statement is from Tom Tidwell, Chief of the USDA Forest Service: "The President's proposed overall budget for discretionary funding for the Forest Service in FY 2016 is $4.9 billion. That is $130 million less than the FY 2015 enacted level, but it reflects strategic investments to increase forest restoration and reduce wildfire threats to communities. This Budget focuses on five key areas: restoring resilient landscapes, building thriving communities, managing wildland fires, promoting safety, and building diversity and inclusiveness. […] This level of funding and the associated outputs below are dependent on the passage of a fire suppression cap adjustment and will help us implement restoration projects to address insect and disease outbreaks in areas designated under the 2014 Farm Bill and to work with the States under our new Good Neighbor Authority. [...] Our researchers will provide managers with the knowledge they need to make sound risk-based decisions to take restorative actions, partly through the Regional Hubs for Risk Adaptation and Mitigation to Climate Change." Statements, letters, and other materials submitted for the record are from the following: Tom Tidwell, and Tony Dixon.
United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Appropriations
2015-03-18
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Examination of Terrestrial Nuclear Energy's Relevance to U.S. National Security
This thesis is in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Master of Strategic Studies Degree. "This paper is an examination of the relevance that terrestrial nuclear energy has with regard to U.S. national security. Terrestrial nuclear energy is herein defined as energy produced from land-based nuclear reactors. The principal application for terrestrial nuclear reactors is in the generation of electricity. Maritime or space-vehicle propulsion reactors are excluded from this definition, as are nuclear weapons. While the national security implications of thermonuclear warheads and nuclear-powered warships are relatively direct, the national security implications of benign nuclear energy are less so. National security interest areas of energy independence, energy security, climate change, economics, public safety, and nuclear terrorism and proliferation are considered. The paper addresses both domestic nuclear energy and aspects of foreign nuclear energy. Through this examination, terrestrial nuclear energy is found to have both direct and indirect implications to U.S. national security interests."
Army War College (U.S.)
Raftery, Jr, James J.
2011-03-24
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Role and Variability of Ocean Heat Content in the Arctic Ocean: 1948-2009
From the thesis abstract: "The observed rate of sea ice cover decline in the Arctic for the past decades is faster than those projected by the recent Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5). I hypothesize that a critical source of energy in the Arctic Ocean, heat content accumulating below the surface mixed layer and above the halocline, has been increasing in magnitude and area, and may be contributing to the recent decline in the ice cover. Consistent with observations, model results from a subset of the Regional Arctic System Model (RASM) indicate that heat has been stored between the mixed layer and the halocline, and that it has increased during the period of 1948 to 2009. Ongoing analyses show that the total amount and rate of increase of heat content has been largest in the western Arctic, and there is a causal relationship between the accumulation of heat content and the reduction of sea ice volume. Future studies involving new observations of physical processes and feedbacks in the western Arctic Ocean, and higher resolution and coupled climate models with improved representation of such processes and feedbacks are needed to advance understanding, realistic modeling, and improved prediction of the Arctic System and its variability and change."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
DiMaggio, Dominic F.
2014-06
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All-of-the-Above Energy Strategy as a Path to Sustainable Economic Growth [July 2014]
"The U.S. energy sector is undergoing a profound transformation. The United States is producing
more oil and natural gas, is generating more electricity from renewables such as wind and solar,
and is consuming less petroleum while holding electricity consumption constant. These
developments have had substantial economic and energy security benefits, and they are helping
to reduce carbon emissions in the energy sector and thereby tackle the challenge posed by
climate change.
To build on this progress, to foster economic growth, and to protect the planet for future
generations, the President has set out an aggressive All-of-the-Above strategy on energy. Some
of the recent trends in the energy sector predate the Administration and stem from technological
advances and risk-taking by American entrepreneurs and businesses, as well as from
government-supported research and other public policies. The All-of-the-Above energy strategy
supports these trends through environmentally responsible production of oil and natural gas. [...] The All-of-the-Above energy strategy has three key elements: to support economic growth and
job creation, to enhance energy security, and to deploy low-carbon energy technologies and lay
the foundation for a clean energy future. This report lays out these three elements of the All-of-the-Above
energy strategy, and takes stock of the progress that has been made to date and the
work that remains to be done."
United States. Executive Office of the President
2014-07
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EPA Has Developed Guidance for Disaster Debris but Has Limited Knowledge of State Preparedness
"We evaluated whether the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Office of Land and Emergency Management (OLEM) has worked with appropriate federal agencies and verified states have planned for disaster debris management. The EPA published Planning for Natural Disaster Debris guidance in 2008 in response to a U.S. Government Accountability Office report recommendation. The document was developed to provide detailed guidance to state and local entities involved with managing debris disposal after a disaster, to better ensure protection of public health and the environment, and to prevent the creation of future Superfund sites. This report addresses the following EPA goals or cross-agency strategies: [1] Addressing climate change and improving air quality. [2] Cleaning up communities and advancing sustainable development. [3] Ensuring the safety of chemicals and preventing pollution."
United States. Environmental Protection Agency. Office of the Inspector General
2016-06-29
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U.S.-China Cooperation: Bilateral Clean Energy Programs Show Some Results but Should Enhance Their Performance Monitoring, Report to the Chairman, Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia, and Emerging Threats, Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of Representatives
"The United States and China lead the world in energy consumption, and both are investing in renewable resources and efforts to increase the efficiency of traditional fossil fuel sources in part to address climate change. In 2014, a congressional commission raised questions about bilateral cooperation between the United States and China on clean energy, including potential internet protocol (IP) risks to U.S. participants involved in collaborative research projects. GAO [Government Accountability Office] was asked to review government-led U.S.-China collaborative initiatives on clean energy. This report examines (1) how much funding U.S. agencies obligated for clean energy cooperation with China, (2) what is known about the results of key programs and the extent to which they follow leading practices in performance monitoring, and (3) the extent to which Department of Energy (DOE) managed risks that Clean Energy Research Center (CERC) participants may face. GAO analyzed funding data, reviewed documents and compiled reported results, interviewed agency officials and participants of key programs, and conducted site visits. GAO is making four recommendations to enhance performance monitoring, including that DOE, U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), and State each develop targets for program-level performance and track progress against them for the key programs GAO reviewed. The agencies agreed with GAO's recommendations and plan to take actions to address them."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2016-07-05
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DTAC Supplemental Research Bulletin: Traumatic Stress and Suicide After Disasters
"This issue of the Supplemental Research Bulletin focuses on research highlights related to traumatic stress and suicide, including suicide rates, suicidal ideation, and suicide plans and attempts, in relation to disasters. These topics are particularly timely in that climate change may lead to more extreme weather over time, or to shifts in seasonal weather patterns, highlighting the need for all-hazards preparedness throughout the year, as well as a coordinated disaster response that incorporates physical safety, health, and behavioral health."
United States. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
2015-08
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USVI Hurricane Recovery and Resilience Task Force
"In September 2017, two catastrophic Category 5 hurricanes tore through the U.S. Virgin Islands with 14 in days of each other. [...] In October 2017, Governor Kenneth Mapp called for the Hurricane Recovery and Resiliency Task Force to develop a comprehensive report on the 2017 hurricanes' impact, as well as produce recommendations for effective recovery and resilience. Specifically, the report was to answer three questions for each of several sectors: 1. What happened during the hurricanes and why? 2. How will climate change affect the sector in the future? 3. What will the Territory do?"
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
2018
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Regulation of Air Pollution
"This report by the foreign law research staff of the Law Library of Congress's Global Legal Research Directorate includes surveys of eleven jurisdictions on the regulation of air pollution. The covered jurisdictions include one supranational entity, the European Union, and a diverse array of countries, including some with common-law legal systems (Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom), some civil-law countries (Brazil, China, France, Israel, Japan, and Switzerland), and one with a mixed legal system (South Africa). Some of the countries are unitary in nature, while others have federated governments. The report details the regimes these diverse jurisdictions have developed in recent decades to regulate air pollution. The country surveys cover each jurisdiction's regulation of both stationary and mobile sources of air pollution, and of pollutants including sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, ozone, particulate matter, and hazardous air pollutants. Fuel quality standards, renewable fuel requirements, and vehicle emissions standards are covered, as are strategies for meeting international requirements to address climate change."
Law Library of Congress (U.S.)
2018-06
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Irregular Challenges 2010 Game: Game Report
From the Executive Summary: "During the period 27-30 July 2010, the United States Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island hosted the Irregular Challenges 2010 Game. The overarching purpose of the Irregular Challenges 2010 Game was to help the Navy better understand the complexity of the problems that it could face in these unstable regions in the maritime environment and to better address how it could respond. This game could help the Navy better define the choices that it needs to make with regard to how it might operate in a future environment. Underlying conditions, such as financial, medical, population growth, and climate change, have the potential to stress the littoral regions and coastal environments around the globe. They give rise to crime, piracy, drug and human trafficking, extremism and exacerbate weak or fragile states' ability to respond to natural disasters. For its part the Navy has yet to address the confluence of these underlying conditions in a comprehensive manner. It could be valuable to examine how and why the Navy should or could use its general purpose forces to help mitigate these conditions that are stressing the maritime environment and have the potential to impact the larger system that operates globally on the oceans. While the Navy has multiple inputs to theater security cooperation plans in the different regions, there should be a better understanding of why these forces and capabilities are being used, where they are being used, and what the desired end state of the use of the forces should be."
Naval War College (U.S.)
DellaVolpe, David; Brightman, Hank; Ducharme, Douglas R. . . .
2010-10-22
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Political Reform, Socio-Religious Change, and Stability in the African Sahel
This project proposed to analyze the socio-political factors affecting stability and instability in a set of six African countriesSenegal, Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Chad stretching across the arid Sahelian region. The predominately Muslim countries of the Sahel are collectively among the least developed countries on earth. Historically of limited strategic significance, they had also received relatively little scholarly attention; indeed they have been among the least-studied countries in Africa. Developments in the region over the past decade, however, gradually brought the Sahel to the center of significant international concerns. Initially, the most significant of these developments were the terrorist threats posed by Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and various related groups that had spun off from the Algerian civil war. These expanded significantly in the aftermath of the fall of the Qaddafi regime in Libya, and following the March 2012 collapse of the political system in Mali and the subsequent occupation of the northern half of that country by radical jihadi movements. Though that occupation was eventually rolled back by French intervention, the region continues to be plagued by the ongoing activities of AQIM, Boko Haram, the Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO), and an ongoing assortment of related radical groups emerging through splintering and new international connections. These security threats come to complicate much deeper historical and structural challenges that the region faces, including endemic underdevelopment, climate change, significant demographic growth, and a history of weak state capacity to effectively govern vast expanses of challenging territory. The states of the Sahelian region thus find themselves under extraordinary pressures.
Air Force Research Laboratory (Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio)
Villalon, Leonard
2016-12-08
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Executive Order 13547: Stewardship of the Ocean, Our Coasts, and the Great Lakes
"The ocean, our coasts, and the Great Lakes provide jobs, food, energy resources, ecological services, recreation, and tourism opportunities, and play critical roles in our Nation's transportation, economy,
and trade, as well as the global mobility of our Armed Forces and the maintenance of international peace and security. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and resulting environmental crisis is a stark reminder of how vulnerable our marine environments are, and how much communities and the Nation rely on healthy and resilient ocean and coastal ecosystems. [...] This order adopts the recommendations of the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force, except where otherwise provided in this order, and directs executive agencies to implement those recommendations under the guidance
of a National Ocean Council. Based on those recommendations, this order establishes a national policy to ensure the protection, maintenance, and restoration of the health of ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes ecosystems and resources, enhance the sustainability of ocean and coastal economies, preserve our maritime heritage, support sustainable uses and access, provide for adaptive management to enhance our understanding of and capacity to respond to climate change and ocean acidification, and coordinate with our national security and foreign policy interests."
United States. Office of the Federal Register
Obama, Barack
2010-07-19
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Executive Order 13690: Establishing a Federal Flood Risk Management Standard and a Process for Further Soliciting and Considering Stakeholder Input
"It is the policy of the United States to improve the resilience of communities and Federal assets against the impacts of flooding. These impacts are anticipated to increase over time due to the effects of climate change and other threats. Losses caused by flooding affect the environment, our economic prosperity, and public health and safety, each of which affects our national security. The Federal Government must take action, informed by the best-available and actionable science, to improve the Nation's preparedness and resilience against flooding. Executive Order 11988 of May 24, 1977 (Floodplain Management), requires executive departments and agencies (agencies) to avoid, to the extent possible, the long- and short-term adverse impacts associated with the occupancy and modification of floodplains and to avoid direct or indirect support of floodplain development wherever there is a practicable alternative. The Federal Government has developed processes for evaluating the impacts of Federal actions in or affecting floodplains to implement Executive Order 11988."
United States. Office of the Federal Register
Obama, Barack
2015-01-30
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Executive Order 13123: Greening the Government Through Efficient Energy Management
"The Federal Government, as the Nation's largest energy consumer, shall significantly improve its energy management in order to save taxpayer dollars and reduce emissions that contribute to air pollution and global climate change. With more than 500,000 buildings, the Federal Government can lead the Nation in energy efficient building design, construction, and operation. As a major consumer that spends $200 billion annually on products and services, the Federal Government can promote energy efficiency, water conservation, and the use of renewable energy products, and help foster markets for emerging technologies. In encouraging effective energy management in the Federal Government, this order builds on work begun under EPACT and previous Executive orders."
United States. Office of the Federal Register
Clinton, Bill, 1946-
1999-06-03
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Homeland Security Presidential Directive 25: Arctic Region Policy
"The United States is an Arctic nation, with varied and compelling interests in that region. This directive takes into account several developments, including, among others: altered national policies on homeland security and defense; the effects of climate change and increasing human activity in the Arctic region; the establishment and ongoing work of the Arctic Council; and a growing awareness that the Arctic region is both fragile and rich in resources. It is the policy of the United States to: meet national security and homeland security needs relevant to the Arctic region; protect the Arctic environment and conserve its biological resources; ensure that natural resource management and economic development in the region are environmentally sustainable; strengthen institutions for cooperation among the eight Arctic nations (the United States, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, the Russian Federation, and Sweden); involve the Arctic's indigenous communities in decisions that affect them; and enhance scientific monitoring and research into local, regional, and global environmental issues."
United States. White House Office
Bush, George W. (George Walker), 1946-
2009-01-09
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Executive Order 13693: Planning for Federal Sustainability in the Next Decade
"By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and in order to maintain Federal leadership in sustainability and greenhouse gas emission reductions, it is hereby ordered as follows: Section 1. Policy. Executive departments and agencies (agencies) have been among our Nation's leaders as the United States works to build a clean energy economy that will sustain our prosperity and the health of our people and our environment for generations to come. Federal leadership in energy, environmental water, fleet, buildings, and acquisition management will continue to drive national greenhouse gas reductions and support preparations for the impacts of climate change. Through a combination of more efficient Federal operations such as those outlined in this Executive Order (order), we have the opportunity to reduce agency direct greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40 percent over the next decade while at the same time fostering innovation, reducing spending, and strengthening the communities in which our Federal facilities operate. It therefore continues to be the policy of the United States that agencies shall increase efficiency and improve their environmental performance. Improved environmental performance will help us protect our planet for future generations and save taxpayer dollars through avoided energy costs and increased efficiency, while also making Federal facilities more resilient. To improve environmental performance and Federal sustainability, priority should first be placed on reducing energy use and cost, then on finding renewable or alternative energy solutions."
United States. Office of the Federal Register
Obama, Barack
2015-03-25
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Risk Quantification for Sustaining Coastal Military Installation Assets and Mission Capabilities
"The best available evidence indicates that sea level rise is occurring at unprecedented rates, and while military commanders may be situationally aware of their installation's vulnerabilities, demonstrable risk-based assessments are needed to proactively adapt military systems, processes, and protocols in the face of this pervasive threat multiplier. This report describes the development and testing of a risk assessment framework - a coastal hazard risk assessment approach that incorporates sea level rise threats and communicates the risk of mission impairment to the military in a meaningful manner that supports mission adaptation and sustainability into the future. [...] The risk-based approach and step-by-step procedures presented here can be used to assess risks to mission on other military installations facing similar threats from coastal hazards and rising sea levels. Moreover, the approach can be used to assess vulnerability and risks at the regional scale to encourage preparedness and enhance coastal resiliency both on and off military installations. In effect, this study offers a robust, scientifically defensible approach that transparently communicates potential risks, improves military readiness, and promotes sustainability in the face of climate change and sea level rise."
Burks-Copes, Kelly A.; Russo, Edmond J.; Bourne, Scott G. . . .
2014-06
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More Capable Warfighting Through Reduced Fuel Burden
The task force reviewed approximately 100 current and future technology solutions and sought to understand DoD's fuel requirements and its end-to-end fuel delivery processes. The task force then turned its attention to understanding DoD's policy on energy efficiency and the processes for requiring and acquiring more efficient platforms and systems. The task force also investigated the environmental impacts of fossil fuel use, including global climate change. The task force made the following significant Findings during the course of its work. Although significant warfighting, logistics and cost benefits occur when weapons systems are made more fuel-efficient, these benefits are not valued or emphasized in the DoD requirements and acquisition processes
United States. Defense Science Board
2001-01
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Organizational Culture of the Command and Administrative Staff of Spokane County Fire District #3
"Spokane County Fire District #3 is a department that transitioned from an all volunteer department to a combination paid/volunteer department. The paid personnel form the command and administrative staff. When the transition started twenty plus years ago, the paid personnel came from the volunteer ranks. This is not the case today. Fifty-percent of the personnel have come from outside the volunteer ranks. With the influence of 'new blood' into the organization came a change in the culture of the department. To this point, there has been no formal measure of the organizational culture of the command and administrative staff. The purpose of this research was to define the current organizational culture and climate among the command and administrative staff. Descriptive and evaluative research methodologies were used in answering the research questions through a literature review, a department telephone survey and an employee survey. The following questions were answered: 1. What are the dimensions or characteristics of an organizational culture? 2. How have other like-sized Fire Departments measured their organizational culture? 3. Currently, what are the organizational strengths and weakness that make up the culture of our Department's command and administrative staff? 4. What can we do differently based on the outcome of the organizational assessment? The research revealed the strengths and weaknesses of the culture of the command and administrative staff. Seventeen elements were surveyed. Overall, the organizational culture of the sub-group was very strong. The stand out weaknesses were pay, benefits and feedback."
National Fire Academy
Jennings, Brian K.
1999-11
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Evaluation of the Arctic - Will it Become an Area of Cooperation or Conflict?
"Climate change and the vast amount of natural resources in the Arctic region have prompted awareness of the need for new policies among Arctic states, including the U.S., and stimulated throughout the entire international community a critical assessment of the issues regarding the Arctic region. All of this could result in potential conflict in this critical region of the world. The Arctic's ice cover as of spring 2010 was the lowest it has ever been at that time of year, and it is melting faster than once thought, making it possible for the Arctic to have an ice free summer by 2013. Due to the increase of yearly ice melt, the race to extract the natural resources will speed up tremendously in future years. Research shows that the Arctic nations strongly encourage cooperation and are currently abiding by the international laws, treaties, and infrastructures in place that allow them the most potential to benefit from the Arctic resources. However, although the Arctic nations stress cooperation in their official statements and diplomatic overtures, they are actually preparing for conflict. There are many potential flashpoints that could cause the Arctic to end in conflict, such as territorial disputes, Russia's dependency on the Arctic, and the militarization of the Arctic. The Arctic region has long been neglected by the U.S; however, due to the current situation in the Arctic and the potential for new threats to the U.S. homeland, the region is becoming a far more important issue and is gaining the attention of the U.S. government. The major question this thesis will examine concerns the future of the Arctic: is it heading for conflict, or for cooperation? In addition, the state of U.S. security with respect to the Arctic will be evaluated, and recommendations for U.S. national and homeland security policy will be provided."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Trent, Packard C.
2011-03
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Does Sea Level Rise Matter to Transportation Along the Atlantic Coast?
From the Introduction: "A steady barrage of studies and news reports about global warming has ensured that virtually all transportation planners realize that the transportation sector of the U.S. economy is an important cause of increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases. Less attention has been paid, however, to the effects of global warming on transportation--and virtually no attention has been paid to the ways by which our transportation infrastructure may impair our ability to adapt to the consequences of global warming. [...] This paper is part of a DOT [Department of Transportation] process to motivate adaptation to climate change in the U.S. transportation sector."
United States. Department of Transportation
Titus, Jim
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Water Security- National and Global Issues
"Potable or clean freshwater availability is crucial to life and economic, environmental, and social systems. The amount of freshwater is finite and makes up approximately 2.5 percent of all water on the Earth. Freshwater supplies are small and randomly distributed, so water resources can become points of conflict. Freshwater availability depends upon precipitation patterns, changing climate, and whether the source of consumed water comes directly from desalination, precipitation, or surface and (or) groundwater. At local to National levels, difficulties in securing potable water sources increase with growing populations and economies. Available water improves living standards and drives urbanization, which increases average water consumption per capita. Commonly, disruptions in sustainable supplies and distribution of potable water and conflicts over water resources become major security issues for Government officials. Disruptions are often influenced by land use, human population, use patterns, technological advances, environmental impacts, management processes and decisions, transnational boundaries, and so forth."
Geological Survey (U.S.)
Tindall, James A., 1953-; Campbell, Andrew A.
2010
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Large-Scale Offshore Wind Power in the United States: Executive Summary
"Offshore wind power is poised to deliver an essential contribution to a clean, robust, and diversified U.S. energy portfolio. Capturing and using this large and inexhaustible resource has the potential to mitigate climate change, improve the environment, increase energy security, and stimulate the U.S. economy. The United States is now deliberating an energy policy that will have a powerful impact on the nation's energy and economic health for decades to come. This report provides a broad understanding of today's wind industry and the offshore resource, as well as the associated technology challenges, economics, permitting procedures, and potential risks and benefits. An appreciation for all sides of these issues will help to build an informed national dialog and shape effective national policies."
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (U.S.)
Musial, Walter D.; Ram, Bonnie
2010-09-01
