Energy Update: Week of December 2

Friends,

Hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving Week!!!!  Happy Cyber Monday.  I was camped out at Amazon since Thanksgiving to be first in line for today’s deals but nothing happened, so I just came to work a little late!!!  Lots to buy but here’s one I could not pass up: Olivia skated through her driver’s test this morning so USAA is getting all of my CyberMon shopping funds as of this morning.

In case you missed it over the holiday weekend, we did NOT get a 2020 RFS proposal, but did get a bunch of comments before the deadline from United Steelworkers, Sens. Cruz & Kennedy, Sen Enviro Chair John Barrasso and several refiners including Valero, Monroe, HollyFrontier and PBF.  And yesterday, Energy Secretary Rick Perry released a Twitter video thanking his DOE team and touting his accomplishments on oil and gas production, nuclear and the work of the national labs.

Following that, today around 5:30 p.m., the Senate will approve new Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette.  Also today, a couple of groups are starting a strong push in advertising to push legislative action.  HVAC advocates are hitting the digital ad-waves to push new Senate legislation phasing out HFCs, while biodiesel advocates are cranking up the advertising to push renewal of the biodiesel blenders’ tax credit, which is more than two years overdue.   ACORE is also pushing on the Hill in support of the biofuel, wind, solar, EV and orphan renewable tax credit renewals.

It is a busy week on Capitol Hill.  On Wednesday, a Senate governmental affairs panel holds hearing on Wednesday looking at the nomination of Paul Ray to be administrator of the Office of Management and Budget’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. Ray is a Hillsdale College alum so he has my FULL ENDORSEMENT!!!!!  And then Thursday, the big event is the House Energy panel hearing on deep decarbonization at 10:30 a.m. with our friends Dan Esty (Yale) and Tim Profeta (Duke) testifying.

Off the Hill, POLITICO hosts two interesting events: one Wednesday morning on 2020 Enviro election issues with our friend Sarah Hunt and Thursday morning identifying the key priorities in biodiversity efforts and the most politically viable solutions.

Finally, COP 25 started today in Spain after last minute maneuvering since Chile withdrew as host.  Looks Like everything panned out but going beyond Paris commitments (which countries seem unwilling to do politically) and the White House withdrawal will likely be the focus of the action.  Speaker Pelosi leads a delegation over later in the week even though Congress is facing a budget deadline and dealing with Impeachment questions.  And we will also hear from former Secretary of State John Kerry who is joining with former Cal Governator Schwarzenegger to head an all-star cast of lawmakers/celebrities on an initiative called World War Zero, which aims to get individuals, businesses, and governments to drastically slash greenhouse gas emissions.  OPEC also meets later in the week. 

That’s all for today, call with questions and hope you surviving the snow and cold if you have it.  18 days to the final Star Wars movie…

Best,

Frank Maisano

(202) 828-5864

C. (202) 997-5932

FRANKLY SPOKEN

“Globally, markets are already starting to move away from HFCs. A federal HFC phase down keeps U.S. manufacturers in the driver's seat during this transition, creating jobs here at home, expanding market share abroad, and stimulating significant investment in the U.S. economy.”

AHRI President and CEO Stephen Yurek talking about new legislation in the Senate to phase out HFCs.

ON THE PODCAST

Pence Book Author Sits Down with Bracewell Podcast -- The latest episode of Bracewell’s podcast, The Lobby Shop, sits down with Tom LoBianco, former CNN Politics reporter, author of Piety & Power: Mike Pence and the Taking of the White House. Tom has covered VP Mike Pence since his days in the Indiana Statehouse to today. We chat with Tom about his book, his reporting work, and much more.  It is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Google Play Music.

RFF Expert Talks Shale Gas Impacts – On this week's Platts Capitol Crude podcast, Brian and Meghan talk with Daniel Raimi, a senior research associate at Resources for the Future and a lecturer at the University of Michigan's Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, on what the federal government should do to help local communities impacted by oil price volatility.  The US shale oil boom has been heralded as an economic windfall for small towns from New Mexico to North Dakota. But it has also strained local public services, putting a toll on education, infrastructure and housing, while leaving many communities more susceptible to the boom and bust nature of oil prices.

FUN OPINIONS

USAT: Gas Bans Bad Policy – A new column in USA Today from UC-Irvine Engineering professor and national fuel cell expert Jack Brouwer says bans on natural gas being promoted by some liberal cities around the country are not a panacea.  In fact, they will have significant unintended consequences that won’t reduce emissions, still hurt consumers and grid reliability, he says. “The U.S. would be ill-advised to decommission existing gas infrastructure that will ultimately be indispensable for storing, transmitting and distributing the renewable, non-fossil energy we need with reliability and resiliency. And the renewable energy storage and delivery resource that the gas system can provide is massive.”

MIT’s Reilly in UDive: Deep Decarbonization Requires Nuclear – A new piece in Utility Dive, MIT expert John Reilly, co-director of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change, and an energy, environmental and agricultural economist argues as the productivity of solar panels and wind turbines fall because of curtailments, and the integration costs rise, there is a need for other zero-carbon generators that are available at all times, such as nuclear energy.  A new study from a team of researchers at MIT (including myself) examines these trends and explains why this creates an important role for both existing and new nuclear power plants in an affordable decarbonized energy system.

FROG BLOG

Concrete Solutions for Cement’s Emissions Challenges – A new piece in Grist says cement has some concrete solutions already in the works for its emissions.  One of the most straightforward ways of putting a dent in cement’s carbon emissions would be to find cleaner-burning fuels that are capable of heating a cement kiln. Some alternatives to fossil fuels are available today, like wood, agricultural waste, and even car tires. Despite how that last one sounds, Jeremy Gregory, executive director of the Concrete Sustainability Hub at MIT, says spent tires a “great source of energy,” and cement kilns are one of the most effective ways to dispose of them.

IN THE NEWS

Barrasso: EPA’s New Biofuel Mandate Has No Basis in Law – In a letter to EPA, Sen. EPW Chair John Barrasso told Administrator Andrew Wheeler he opposes the agency’s recent proposal regarding the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). EPA recently proposed to reallocate the blending obligations of small refineries, which receive hardship relief under the RFS, to refineries (small and large), which do not receive or are ineligible for hardship relief.  In the letter, Barrasso calls the proposal not only “illegal and arbitrary, but incoherent and without any legitimate purpose.” Barrasso calls on EPA to abandon the proposal all together.  Read the full letter here.

Steelworkers also hit RFS Policy – The United Steelworkers told EPA its 2020 RFS proposal will cause harm if it reallocates forecasted small refinery exemption. The USW also opposes an increase of the RVO as the impact to merchant refining is bad for workers and the environment. USW added policy decisions should be based on data, not political opportunity, highlighting demand data doesn’t support continual year-over-year RVO increases nor proposed policy change to use speculative projected volumes.  They added reallocating projected volumes of exempted small refineries is contrary to purpose and intent of RFS policy, putting refining jobs at risk.  In its letter, USW said it supports complete RFS reform and RIN market regulation: “This decade old policy needs reform that relies on available data, considers environmental impact, and puts working people first."

HVACR Companies Pushing AIM Act in Ad Campaign – Advocates for newly introduced legislation to reduce hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants will conduct a six-figure media campaign over the next week urging Senators to support the American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act (S. 2754). The campaign will be led by the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI), the HVACR industry's trade association, with support from the Alliance for Responsible Atmospheric Policy. The legislation, introduced in October by Sens. John Kennedy (R-La.) and Tom Carper (D-Del.), would establish a national framework for the phase down of HFC refrigerants, while in the process promoting U.S. technology and creating thousands of new jobs. The legislation currently has 22 total bipartisan co-sponsors from 16 states. The digital campaign will run from December 2 through December 8 on the energy pages of POLITICO, CQ/Roll Call, and The Hill. Bill advocates will also sponsor a food truck that will visit Capitol Hill on Thursday, December 5.  Federal legislation phasing down HFCs represents a chance to put America first, and to keep American workers at the forefront of this important global industry. A recent industry economic study showed that a new federal standard for the phase down of HFCs would create 33,000 new U.S. manufacturing jobs, add $12.5 billion per year to the U.S. economy, and expand U.S. exports in this sector by 25 percent. Failure to do so will cost U.S. businesses and jobs.

Biodiesel Ad Campaign Pushes for Renewal of Tax Credit – Supporters of renewing the biodiesel blender’s tax credit led by Delek Renewables will begin a three week digital ad campaign to push House and Senate tax writers to include the key agriculture provision in any year-end tax package.  Nearly two years after the lapse of the biodiesel tax credit, Congress has a simple choice to restore and extend the BTC, which will provide a real boost to American's farmers, rural Communities and the biodiesel industry. Senate Finance Committee Chuck Grassley is a strong supporter of the biodiesel tax credit extension.  There was also a pair of new reports (here and here) that highlight the significant risk the biodiesel industry faces unless the blenders tax credit is renewed.   In addition, there was a letter from 40 House Democrats earlier this month backing the credit. In addition, Cap Alpha Energy analyst Jim Lucier recently reported in a new market analysis that discusses the challenges facing the industry that includes biofuels producers, co-ops and many refiners who are often at odds (but not here). 

AEA Updates Big Green Database Update – The Institute for Energy Research (IER) is announcing another update to its Big Green, Inc. database, along with a caution to American citizens and companies poised to open their wallets tomorrow on Giving Day, a day dedicated to promoting charitable giving.  Today’s Big Green, Inc. update focuses on 1,583 grants made from three highly visible foundations – the Heinz Foundation, Bloomberg Family Foundation, and Kresge Foundation – which are clearly helping to fuel the environmental lobby and its efforts to restrict affordable, reliable energy. Between 2008 and 2016, these three foundations funded 513 environmental groups—many of which hold anti-energy biases—across the United States with grants totaling $473,207,264.  To date, the Big Green, Inc. database now tracks environmental grants stemming from 17 foundations and directed to 2,210 grassroots activist groups totaling $4,689,130,216.

DTE Joins Carbon Capture Coalition – DTE Energy has joined the Carbon Capture Coalition as a Participant. Based in Detroit, Michigan, DTE Energy is a diversified energy company with operating units that include an electric utility serving 2.2 million customers in Southeastern Michigan and a natural gas utility serving 1.3 million customers in Michigan. In September 2019, DTE Energy announced their goal to achieve net-zero carbon emissions in its electric company by 2050 with the understanding that achieving carbon neutrality by mid-century will require further advancements in technology such as carbon capture, utilization, and storage, and small modular nuclear.

ON THE SCHEDULE THIS WEEK

COP 25 Set for Madrid – The UN Holds its 25^th Conference of the Parties will take place at IFEMA - Feria de Madrid in Madrid, Spain from today through December 13^th. The updated overview schedule can be found on the COP 25 session website. The pre-sessional period remains as planned (25 November – 1 December), with the preparatory meetings of regional groups from November 25 – 30.  Only recently, was the forum moved from Chile to Spain. 

BioEnergy Conference to be in Baltimore – The 15^th World Bioenergy Congress and Expo will be held in Baltimore today and tomorrow focusing on renewable energy issues.

GTM Energy Storage Summit Set – Greentech Media hosts its 5^th annual Energy Storage Summit 2019 tomorrow and Wednesday in Denver.  The Summit will bring together utilities, system integrators, financiers, regulators, battery and software innovators, and other key storage players for two full days of data-intensive presentations, analyst-led panel sessions.  CO Gove Jared Polis and our friend, CO Co-op Holy Cross CEO Brian Hannagan will be among the speakers.

Science Academies Host Seminar on Smart Cities – The National Academies of Sciences' Board on Environmental Change and Society and the Board on Human-Systems Integration hold a seminar tomorrow at the NASEM’s Keck Center to explore smart city technologies and methodologies that are being designed and deployed to enhance urban climate resilience and benefit all members of communities. The agenda can be found here.

Senate Enviro Panel to Host NRC IG Nominee – The Senate Environment’s Clean Air and Nuclear Safety Subcommittee holds a hearing at 3:00 p.m. on the nomination of Robert Feitel to be inspector general of NRC. 

Forum to Feature Finish Trade Minister – The Atlantic Council Global Energy Center and Global Business and Economics Program hold a for a public conversation tomorrow at 5:00 p.m. with H.E. Ville Skinnari, Finland’s minister for development cooperation and foreign trade, about Finland’s evolving approach to the climate and trade nexus and his views on EU-level discussions as Finland’s presidency of the EU Council comes to a conclusion.

WCEE to Host Former FERC Honorable at Reception – Tomorrow evening, the Women's Council on Energy and the Environment hosts its 2019 Woman of the Year Colette Honorable of the Reed Smith Energy and Natural Resources Group.   Honorable is a former FERC Commissioner, Arkansas Public Service Commission chair and past President of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners. Honorable is a highly regarded thought-leader and practitioner in the domestic and international energy sectors.

POLITICO to Look at Environmental Election Impact – On Wednesday at Georgetown University, POLITICO holds a deep-dive conversation on environmental issues and the 2020 presidential election. The panel will look at the path forward and key party differences and where can we come together. 

Forum Set to Discuss Aging Infrastructure – The Atlantic holds its Blueprint Summit on infrastructure and transportation Wednesday morning focusing on the changing climate and our aging infrastructure. The summit on infrastructure and transportation will explore the impact of climate change on our critical systems and meet the disruptors who are sketching a blueprint for humanity’s future. There will be a bunch of great speakers including our friends Roby Meyers and Kathleen Koch. 

Senate Enviro Look at USFWS Task Force – The Senate Environment Committee holds a legislative hearing on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. looking at a bill to create a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Chronic Wasting Disease Task Force.  Witnesses include our friend Whit Fosburgh of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, Wyoming Game and Fish Department director Brian Nesvik and West Virginia Department of Agriculture commissioner Kent Leonhardt.

C2ES Webinar Look at Carbon Zero – The Center for Climate and Energy Solutions hold a webinar on Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. on a U.S. Climate Agenda getting to zero. The webinar discusses a new agenda for decarbonizing the U.S. economy developed in consultation with leading companies in key sectors that outlines policies needed over the coming decade to put the United States on the path to net zero emissions by 2050.

Forum to Focus on Resilience on West Coast – The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) and the Coastal States Organization hold a briefing on Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. looking at science and policy initiatives that are helping protect West Coast ecosystems and communities from erosion, sea level rise, and other coastal hazards. The briefing will showcase nature-based solutions, which can protect human lives and property while creating habitat for wildlife and supporting various coastal industries. The panelists will describe the collaborative process between federal, state, local, and Tribal stakeholders in collecting, sharing, and acting on scientific data to inform policy decisions around adaptation and help communities define and achieve their resilience goals.

House Science Looks at Windstorm Impact – The House Science Research and Technology Subcommittee and Energy Subcommittee hold a joint hearing on reauthorizing the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program.  Witnesses include NIST’s Dr. Scott Weaver (Director of the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program), Kansas Emergency Management Director Major General Lee Tafanelli, Texas Tech’s National Wind Institute prof Delong Zuo and our friend Ryan Colker, Executive Director, The Alliance for National and Community Resilience.

OIRA Nominee to Head to Senate Committee Panel – A Senate governmental affairs panel holds hearing on Wednesday looking at the nomination of Paul Ray to be administrator of the Office of Management and Budget’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. Ray is a Hillsdale College undergrad alum so he has my FULL ENDORSEMENT!!!!!

MIT Forum Looks at Electricity Sector – The third of MIT's six Climate Action Symposia, Decarbonizing the Electricity Sector, will be held on Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. Topics will include 1) developments in solar energy, energy storage, and nuclear energy; 2) electrification in the building and transportation sectors; and 3) innovation opportunities for zero-carbon electricity technologies in the coming decades.  This symposium will discuss the attributes, system impacts, adoption prospects, and innovation opportunities for net-zero carbon emission technologies in the electricity sector over the next thirty years. It will discuss developments in solar energy, energy storage, and nuclear energy. On the demand side, it will focus on electrifying vehicles. Issues from both developed and developing countries will be covered.

POLITICO to Look at Nature, Crisis – On Thursday at 8:00 a.m. at the Washington Court Hotel, POLITICO hosts a high-level conversation to identify the key priorities in biodiversity efforts and the most politically viable solutions. This spring, scientists warned that up to 1 million of the world’s estimated 8 million plant and animal species could be at risk of extinction. The conclusion came from a United Nations report, which also found that global warming is one of the factors driving this rapid deterioration. The biodiversity crisis threatens food security, the water supply, economic development and the livelihoods of billions.

Solar Advocates Protest Tariffs at ITC – The Solar Energy Industries Association will hold a rally at the headquarters of the International Trade Commission on Thursday morning where another solar tariff hearing will take place.  Tariffs have had significant implications for the future of solar energy in America.  In January 2018, the Trump administration imposed a 30% tariff on imported solar cells and modules. The midterm review of that case is currently underway, and the hearing on December 5th is a critical opportunity to demonstrate to the Commission and the general public that these tariffs are harming American businesses and holding back the solar industry's potential.  Solar advocates will gather outside the Commission's offices in Southwest D.C. for a brief rally, then head into the hearing room to hear arguments from SEIA and our members and allies about why these #StopSolarTariffs must be removed in order to ensure economic prosperity and help address climate change.

House Science Looks at Expert Advice – The House Science Committee holds a hearing on Thursday looking at options for improved science and technology advice for Congress.  Witnesses include GAO’s Tim Persons, Michael McCord of the Stennis Center for Public Service, Harvard Kennedy School’s Laura Manley and Peter Blair of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

House Energy Panel to Look at Deep Decarbonization – The House Energy and Commerce Environment and Climate Change Subcommittee holds a hearing on Thursday at 10:30 a.m. solutions for economy-wide deep decarbonization. Witnesses include Duke Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions Director Tim Profeta, Noah Kaufman of Columbia’s Center on Global Energy Policy

Columbia University, Yale’s Dan Esty and University of Georgia’s David Gattie. 

GW Forum to Look at Russian Nuke Sales – GWU’s Elliot School of International Affairs holds a forum on Russia and the global nuclear reactor market.  In recent years Russia’s state-owned Rosatom has become the undisputed leader in the sale and construction of nuclear power plants, responsible for over 65% of global sales. Dr. Emily Holland is an Assistant Professor in the Political Science Department at the United States Naval Academy. Her presentation will argue that Rosatom’s Chinese partnerships are commercially driven, but that the proceeds from these crucial contracts help Russia finance other less commercially viable yet geopolitically significant projects.

WCEE Book Club Event to Look at WSJ Author Book – The Women's Council on Energy and the Environment is relaunching its book club meeting with a look at WSJ report Russell Gold’s "Superpower - One Man's Quest to Transform American Energy" on Thursday evening.   WCEE will gather at Café du Parc at 5:30 p.m.

Friday December 6^th – Another High School Climate Strike – Why Not?

Duke, RTI Host Energy Forum – On Friday at 8:30 a.m., the Energy Access Project at Duke University and RTI International hold forum in Washington on using data analytics to accelerate energy access.

Energy Awards Ceremony Set – Leaders in Energy will be conducting the Sixth Annual Four Generations of Leaders in Clean Energy & Sustainable Solutions Awards & Holiday Program at Pepco’s Edison Place Gallery on Friday evening.  The Four Generation of Leaders in Clean Energy & Sustainable Solutions Awardees are: Millennial/Gen Z: Global Co-Lab’s Eco Teen Action Network: Ashley Cheung, Eva Leikikh, Krithika Layalala, Kayla Peale, Sydney Rico, and Marieka Staheli; Gen X: Julia Cohen, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Plastic Pollution Coalition; Baby Boomer: Eric Goplerud, Founder, Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions and World War II: Andrew Euston, Urban Ecological Designer, Fellow of the American Institute of Architects.  Other emerging leaders Karen Campblin and Lee Williams of the Green New Deal Virginia Coalition and Mitra Kashani, Founder of the Mason Environmental Justice Alliance will also be honored.

IN THE FUTURE

AGU Celebrates 100 years at Meeting in SF – The American Geophysical Union marks its Centennial in 2019 by returning to San Francisco, the home of the AGU Fall Meeting for more than 40 years on December 9-13.  A diverse community will convene at the newly renovated Moscone Center to explore and develop research.

Forum to Look at BNEF EV Report – CSIS will host a panel on December 9^th to discuss strategies and policies to develop and deploy EVs. Aleksandra O'Donovan will outline BloombergNEF's report, Electric Vehicle Outlook 2019, to set the scene with the global forecast for EVs and the implications on the growth of the clean energy economy. Garrett Fitzgerald, with Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), will discuss its recent report, Driving a Shared, Electric, Autonomous Mobility Future, which evaluates mobility in China, India, and the United States.

Forum to Look at Nuclear Power’s Future – OurEnergyPolicy and the Keystone Policy Center are hosting a panel event next Tuesday at Noon on the fate of nuclear power.  As renewables and natural gas become increasingly cost-competitive and some policymakers push for a 100% renewable energy future, the fate of conventional nuclear and the existing nuclear power fleet is unclear. Scientists, policymakers, and energy analysts are debating the economics of nuclear energy and how nuclear policy should fit into a “carbon-free” energy future.  This dialogue will explore the current state of conventional nuclear energy, how bills such as the Nuclear Energy Renewal Act (S. 2368) and the Nuclear Powers America Act of 2019 (S. 1134, H.R. 2314) can address concerns in the nuclear power industry, and the fate of nuclear power in the U.S. energy mix.

Mexico Energy Reform Discussed in Press Club Forum – The Dialogue hosts a forum at the National Press Club on Wednesday December 11^th at 9:00 a.m. on Mexico’s energy sector under the new Administration. As the López Obrador government celebrates its first anniversary, the energy sector continues to be a critical area for understanding the administration’s broader goals and policymaking. A central campaign promise to reduce fuel imports and construct a new refinery, the Dos Bocas project in Tabasco, continues apace and is frequently the subject of the president’s morning press conferences complete with data downloads and updates from the project site.  Additionally, reasserting the primacy of Pemex and CFE and the role of each firm in the nation’s energy sector has been at the center of much of the national discourse. The international investor response has been mixed with notable credit downgrades and less-than-bullish reviews of the Pemex business plan.

Grid Forum Set – The GridWise Alliance and Clean Edge hold the 3^rd annual gridCONNEXT 2019 in Washington, DC on December 10-12 at The Liaison Hotel.  The event will bring together technology, policy, utility, and business leaders to explore the most important topics impacting the electric utility industry. Speakers will include former Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter and former FERC Commissioner Nora Mead Brownell.  The full agenda is now available online. 

RFF to Hold ESA Panel – Resources for the Future (RFF) for a forward-looking panel discussion on Thursday, December 12^th looking at the Endangered Species Act (ESA), with a focus on how best to implement the recent regulatory revisions and what additional reform ideas the current administration might be interested in pursuing. Speakers include RFF’s Rebecca Epanchin-Niell, NOAA’s Stuart Levenbach, Ya-Wei (Jake) Li of the Environmental Policy Innovation Center and our friend Michael Doyle of E&E News as moderator. 

USEA to Host Ethiopian Energy Group – The United States Energy Association, in collaboration with the U.S. Agency for International Development and Power Africa, is hosting a high-level delegation from the Ethiopian Electric Utility (EEU) on December 13^th at 10:00 a.m. The purpose of this exchange is to discuss best practices in utility governance and organizational structure optimization as they currently going through major reorganization throughout the utility. The Ethiopian delegation will present information on the Ethiopian energy sector, future plans, challenges, and lessons learned. We invite you to come and learn about Ethiopia's energy future and participate in this discussion.

Past Presidents Attend Energy Economists Event – The NCAC of the US Energy Economists will meet for its December lunch on Friday December 13^th at Noon at Chinatown Garden featuring past Presidents of USAEE. The energy industry has evolved since OPEC took the world stage in the 1970s, and no one knows that more than past presidents of the National Capital Area Chapter of the United States Association for Energy Economics. Several of these individuals will discuss how our business has changed during and after their leadership, and the skills that are needed to adapt. Past presidents Guy Caruso, James Koehler, James McDonnell, Alan Levine, Elaine Levin and Michael Ratner are invited. 

MD Activists Hold Climate Action Summit – On December 14^th at the University of Maryland College Park campus, a coalition of advocacy groups large and small — faith leaders, labor activists, environmental groups, and others — will be hosting a one-day conference called Rebuild Maryland: Climate Action Summit. The conference will be co-sponsored by MD Climate Coalition, Chesapeake Climate Action Network, MD League of Conservation Voters, MD Chapter of the Sierra Club, Interfaith Power & Light, MD Legislative Coalition, 350 dot org, Howard County Sunrise, HoCo Climate Action, MoCo Students for Climate, Climate Law & Policy Project.

WCEE Happy Hour – The Women's Council on Energy & the Environment (WCEE) holds its December 2019 Happy Hour at Kafe Leopold on Monday December 16^th at 5:30 p.m.

RFF Forum to Look at Healthy Soils – Resources for the Future (RFF) and Cornell University’s Atkinson Center for Sustainability holds a forum on Tuesday December 17^th at 9:30 a.m. to explore the important role of soil health in finding climate solutions.  The event will open with a short primer on soil health, including an overview of the current health of US soils, what healthier soils might look like in future, and how research suggests we can foster such improvements. A panel of experts will share perspectives from various sectors—government, industry, and the conservation community—on how practices, technologies, and policies related to soil health are evolving.

Star Wars – December 20^th

Hanukkah – In 2019, Hanukkah begins at sundown on Sunday, December 22^nd and lasts until sundown on Monday, December 30^th.

Christmas – December 25^th

State of American Business Event Set – The U.S. Chamber of Commerce holds the 21^st annual State of American Business event on Thursday January 9, 2020 at 10:00 a.m., where they will explore the most important trends, opportunities, and challenges facing the business community in the coming year - and beyond.