Energy Update: Week of September 16

Friends,

Coming to you live from Sea Island, Georgia after an exciting dual track weekend.  I was at Adam’s Parents Weekend at CNU while Stacey was managing the Wellesley new stadium dedication and home field hockey game tailgate.  With a bunch of alums on hand, Hannah managed to pot 2 goals in the game and now is second in the NEWMAC in goals and 3^rd in points!!!           

The weekend also brought chaos in Saudi Arabia when Aramco’s oil infrastructure faced a drone attack at Abqaiq.   The attack on could produce significant, long-term changes to global energy markets. Interestingly enough, SAFE modeled an attack on Abqaiq in its 2011 Oil Shockwave wargame, which concluded that the US needs to enact policies to improve its energy security by reducing America's oil dependence. SAFE adds the attack is “yet another wake-up call to the United States that a disruption in supply anywhere in the world impacts prices everywhere. We must not let our current high domestic production cause complacency in our energy policymaking.”  SAFE military experts are happy to discuss for stories or TV.  We are continuing to monitor this and can get you a lot of folks to help. 

The big hearing this week is EPA head Andrew Wheeler’s appearance on Thursday before the House Science Committee.  It marks the first visit by any Trump EPA administrator to the panel.  On Wednesday, House Energy and Commerce holds a hearing on clean energy and industrials that will feature an all-star expert panel including MIT’s Jeremy Gregory, former EPA #2 Bob Perciasepe, former DOE fossil office head Julio Friedmann and NAM’s Ross Eisenberg.  Congress also get its first visit from climate youth advocate and PR machine Greta Thunberg, who will testify with other youth leaders on Wednesday at a House Foreign Relation/Climate Crisis joint hearing.  And tomorrow, Senate Energy looks at sourcing and use of minerals needed for clean energy technologies in a hearing that features DOE’s Dan Simmons.  Finally, the House Natural Resources’ energy panel held a field hearing in Wildwood, NJ this morning on New Jersey’s offshore wind industry.

Other events this week include a National Press Club Newsmaker with TVA chief Jeff Lyash on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m.  The Georgetown-MSNBC Climate debate is slated for Thursday and Friday, but now many of the top candidates are pulling out because of scheduling conflicts.  The WaPo reported today that campaigns of Joe Biden, Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris and Beto O'Rourke told organizers the candidates will not attend the forum in Washington because of scheduling conflicts.  Perhaps part of the reason also is because the CNN ratings were so poor for its climate town halls.

After last week’s ethanol go rounds, the ethanol side has once again preemptively claimed a massive victory even though the situation remains fluid. Also, having been down this road a few times over the last three years, I would urge you to continue to wait to call a winner.  Partly, because conservative groups, union officials, refinery managers across the country and energy state Senators are all weighing more this week.  The Senators who wrote the President late last week will meet sometime this week (perhaps Thursday) with the President. Stay tuned and believe half of what you hear – especially from ethanol sources.  And I would start with the RFA release today that says they can help energy security in light of the Aramco attacks.  In fact, higher ethanol mandates could put fuel supply at more risk since we’re already using foreign biofuel to meet the mandate.  Higher costs will only put more refiners at risk, while also increasing our reliance on foreign biofuel. 

Finally, last week, I mentioned the new Tool album.  Well, apparently more people than I thought seem to agree with me because it has knocked Taylor Swift’s Lover out of the Billboard #1 slot.   I was able to get seats here in DC at Capital One Arena two days before Thanksgiving.  Suspect it will be epic.  Here is the full line up.

On ethanol or Aramco especially, call with questions.  See you at hearings on Wednesday!!!

Best,

Frank Maisano

(202) 828-5845

C. (202) 997-5932

 

FRANKLY SPOKEN

“These strikes targeted the heart of the kingdom’s oil infrastructure and will without doubt further stoke tensions in an already unstable region, raising geopolitical risk and fueling concerns over prices.”

SAFE CEO Robbie Diamond after the weekend’s attack on Saudi Aramco’s refining infrastructure.

ON THE PODCAST

POLITICO Podcast Looks at Global Impacts of Climate – In this recent episode of Politico’s Global Trends the team looks at climate change’s  Even if nations live up to the commitments they made in the Paris climate agreement, the world will still grow warmer. What will melting sea ice and continued drought mean for the balance of global power? Interviews include the Wilson Institute’s Sherri Goodman, Simon Dalby of Wilfrid Laurier University and the Chamber of Commerce VP of global initiatives Gary Litman.

FUN OPINIONS

Washington Times: CRP Program Would Be Better For Farmers than Ethanol – A new op-ed piece in the Washington Times, conservationist Jerry Jung says there is no substance to arguments that biofuels provide energy security. Nor can a logical argument be made that they are any more renewable than the fossil fuels required for their production. The only remaining rationale for biofuels then would center on purported economic benefits — specifically propping up the farm economy. According to the USDA Economic Research Service, more than half of farm families have negative farm income and therefore require other jobs. Rural communities continue to lose population. Net farm income has stagnated and continues an inflation-adjusted downward trend — despite, and perhaps because of, biofuels.  Jung says if the goal is to provide a living wage for farmers, a better approach would be to direct the billions of dollars spent propping up biofuels toward the Conservation Reserve Program.

FROG BLOG

Did people Really Watch CNN Climate Town Hall – A POLITICO/Morning Consult poll gave us a better look at how the CNN Climate town hall fared with registered voters — 38% of voters said they'd heard nothing at all about it. That's compared with 14% of voters who said they'd heard a lot, 24% who heard some and another 24% who heard not much at all. In the same poll, 66% of voters said they think it's either "very important" (42%) or "somewhat important" (24%) for candidates to talk about climate change.  CNN’s seven-hour extravaganza on climate change ended up being a ratings dud for the network. Averaging just 1.1 million viewers during the time slot, CNN came in third place behind Fox News and MSNBC on the evening of Sept. 4, according to Nielsen Media Research.

IN THE NEWS

EIA Projects US Carbon Emissions To Begin Falling Again After Spike – The Energy Information Administration projected last week that U.S. energy-related carbon emissions will decline by 2.5% this year after emissions increased in 2018.  EIA forecasts that cooling demand will be lower in 2019 than last year. In addition, natural gas and renewables are poised to continue to increase their share of electricity generation at the expense of coal. The decline in emissions this year comes after U.S. emissions increased 2.8% in 2018 — the largest year-to-year rise since 2010.  EIA attributed higher emissions last year to an unusually hot summer and cold winter, and increased manufacturing activity.  Of course, the higher emissions set of a round of hysteria that the US was reversing course with advocates blaming it on the Trump Administration. 

House Passes Critical Advance Nuclear Legislation – The House passed Reps. Bill Flores and Jerry McNerney’s H.R. 1760, the Advanced Nuclear Fuel Availability Act.  The Advanced Nuclear Fuel Availability Act (H.R.1760) takes a critical step of creating an interim supply of advanced nuclear fuel for new reactors and requires the Department of Energy to establish a program to develop high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU). HALEU is uranium enriched beyond what older model nuclear reactors required, but much lower than what is necessary for any nuclear weapons. There are dozens of advanced nuclear designs under development in the United States, some of which are proceeding through the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Most of these reactors can only run on HALEU, the nuclear equivalent of premium gasoline, which doesn’t currently have a commercial supply in the U.S. This bill addresses the critical lapse in domestic supply of the HALEU that will be needed to fuel most advanced reactors being designed.  New types of HALEU will also require new regulations and transportation infrastructure. This bill also authorizes the Department of Energy Research into new types of transportation packaging for HALEU and appropriate licensing for HALEU fuel cycle facilities.  ClearPath Action Executive Director Rich Powell said without a domestic HALEU supply, new startup companies will be unable to develop their designs without importing fuel from Russia.  “Filling this supply here would allow the U.S. to take a major step toward catching up with China and Russia, who have been trying to corner the advanced reactor technology and fuel market.”

ON THE SCHEDULE THIS WEEK

Forum to Look at Effectiveness of Energy Programs – The Energy Efficiency for All (EEFA) coalition and the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) holds a briefing today at Noon with EEFA partners in Ohio, Virginia, New York and California. These state leaders will discuss how they are building successful campaigns to deliver energy/cost savings and healthy home environments for low-and-moderate-income (LMI) households. Speakers will discuss how their state coalitions are using and leveraging federal energy services, such as the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Low-Income Housing Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), to ensure that all LMI residents have access to housing that is healthy, safe, energy efficient and affordable.

NASEO Officials in Cali – The National Association of State Energy Officials holds its annual meeting in Manhattan Beach, CA today through Wednesday.  Mary Nichols keynotes today.

VA Holds Energy Summit – The Virginia Clean Energy Summit will be held tomorrow and explores state’s clean-energy progress and options at the Richmond Convention Center.  Gov. Ralph Northam (D) will speak.

OAS Holds Forum on EVs – The General Secretariat of the Organization of American States will hold a Ministerial dialogue tomorrow to provide a space to discuss experiences, policy options, financing, and technologies to ignite smart transportation in the Americas.

Forum to Discuss Extreme Heat – The Union of Concerned Scientists holds a briefing tomorrow at Noon in 2261 Rayburn on the implications of extreme heat on health, safety and infrastructure.

Forum to Look at RFS Solutions – Advanced Resources International holds a forum tomorrow at Noon in Arlington looking at whether the Renewable Fuel Standard can be fixed. The existing Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) has been law since 2007 while its implementation has been subject to an annual rulemaking. Michael Schaal directs Energy Ventures Analysis’s petroleum practice. He has 30 years of experience in modeling, analysis of energy markets, and the development of energy projects. Prior to rejoining EVA, Michael was the Director of the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s Office of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels Analysis.  EVA has recently employed its EVA-NEMS capability to assess the impacts of the existing RFS and developed some recommendations as to what might be done to alleviate some of the worst impacts of the RFS on consumers.

Senate Energy Looks at Clean Energy Minerals – The Senate Energy Committee will hold a hearing on tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. in 366 Dirksen to examine the sourcing and use of minerals needed for clean energy technologies.  Witnesses include DOE’s Dan Simmons, Morgan Bazilian of the Colorado School of Mines, Manhattan Institute’s Mark Mills, Blue Whale Materials CEO Robert Kang and expert Allison Carlson.

Forum to Look at Middle East, Gulf – The Johns Hopkins University SAIS Middle East Studies hosts a forum tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. focused on the market outlook for the Gulf and Middle East.  Dr. Adel Zaid Altoraifi was the Minister of Culture for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from 2015 to 2017 and member of the Council for Economic and Development Affairs. He participated in the development of Saudi Arabia’s 2030 Vision and the 2020 National Transformation Plan and chaired the media campaign to promote these programs. Dr Adel also chaired the media committee for the 2016 and 2017 government budget announcements and served as a member of the Security and Political Affairs Council. Emily Stromquist is Director of Energy at Castlereagh. She has extensive experience advising clients on key energy themes and market developments across Europe, Russia and Eurasia, Africa and the Middle East. Her interests range from upstream investment risks in oil and gas to downstream strategy and product markets, including the evolution of liquefied natural gas versus pipeline gas competition, and clean energy transitions.

CSIS Talking Future Automotive Innovation – Tomorrow at 2:30 p.m., CSIS hosts a forum developing next generation automotive innovation in America. The event will open with remarks by Sujeesh Kurup, Policy Analyst with the Office of Science and Technology Policy in the Executive Office of the President and follow with a panel discussion moderated by Gabrielle Coppola, Reporter with Bloomberg News.

Youth Activists Testify in Congress – The House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia, Energy, and the Environment and the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis hold a joint hearing on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. featuring youth climate leaders. The witnesses include Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, Seattle-based Zero Hour organizer Jamie Margolin, Juliana plaintiff Vic Barrett and Appleton, WI’s Benji Backer, who is President of the American Conservation Coalition, a nonprofit to educate and engage conservatives on climate change.

House Energy Panel Looks at Clean Energy – The House Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Environment and Climate Change will hold a hearing on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. building a clean energy economy in the industrial sector.  MIT Concrete Sustainability Hub Executive Director Jeremy Gregory will testify on the role of concrete in sustainable development and strategies to reduce its environmental impact.  He will be joined on the panel by former EPA deputy Administrator Bob Perciasepe, former DOE Fossil Office head Julio Friedmann and NAM’s Ross Eisenberg, who is expected to discuss HFCs.  The same panel will hold another hearing on the building sector’s role in the clean energy economy on Friday at 9:00 a.m.

House Transpo Looks at WOTUS – The House Transportation and Infrastructure subcommittee Wednesday to discuss the Trump move last week to rescind the WOTUS rule and replace it.  EPA’s David Ross heads the panel and will be joined by state officials and environmental leaders.

Senate Enviro to Focus on Competitiveness – The Senate Environment Committee also holds a hearing on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. on how water resources infrastructure can help improve American economic competitiveness.  The hearing will highlight the importance of Congress passing a water infrastructure authorization bill in 2020. Witnesses include Pat O'Toole of the Family Farm Alliance, Jamey Sanders of the Choctaw Transportation and Derek Brockbank, executive director of the American Shore & Beach Preservation Association.

NPC Newsmaker to Feature TVA – The National Press Club Newsmaker Program hosts a news conference with Tennessee Valley Authority President and CEO Jeff Lyash on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. in the Bloomberg Room to discuss the future of energy and the new outlook for the nation's largest public utility.

House Science Panel to Look at Future Transportation – The House Science Subcommittee on Energy will convene Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. for a hearing on pathways to accelerate sustainability within the transportation sector.  Witnesses include Advanced Biofuels Business Council head Brooke Coleman, Argonne’s Ann Schlenker, Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Claus Daniel, James Chen of Rivian Automotive and Tim Cortes, who in charge of hydrogen energy systems for Plug Power.

CSIS to Look at Low-Carbon Pathways – On Wednesday at 4:00 p.m., the Center for Strategic & International Studies holds a forum on energy transitions focused on low-carbon pathways for growth and sustainability. This conference will assess where the world stands relative to the dual challenge and discuss areas where real, near-term progress can be made.  It will also serve as the launch of a new, year-long project in which the CSIS Energy & National Security Program will explore strategies to address the dual challenge in several important countries and how public and private sector resources can help achieve these goals.

Forum to Look at Israel, NatGas – The Institute of World Politics holds a forum on Wednesday at 4:00 p.m. looking into Israel’s energy security.  National plans to integrate renewable energy and alternative sources of energy, such as methanol, into the consumption mix, as well as energy efficiency programs launched by the government are also integral to Israel’s energy security strategy.  These include, broadening of import; pursuit of proximate supply sources; constant search for indigenous energy; development of renewables and alternatives; ensuring physical security of energy installations; and promotion of energy efficiency. This lecture will talk about each of these components and assess the on-going transformation of Israel’s energy status from import-dependency to energy self-sufficiency that is underpinned by the gas discoveries.

ASE to Launch Group – On Thursday at 8:30 a.m., the Alliance to Save Energy will launch the Active Efficiency Collaborative, a new initiative that challenges leaders in the energy community to re-imagine the dialogue around energy efficiency. The Alliance will propose a new concept - Active Efficiency - that promotes a more comprehensive vision of energy efficiency and allows us to rethink how we use energy well in a digitized and systems-oriented world. Leaders from the public and private sector will discuss the role that innovative energy management will play in addressing the climate crisis and policies that will allow us to unleash the myriad benefits of Active Efficiency.

Aspen to Look at Energy Stakeholders – The Aspen Institute Energy & Environment Program, in partnership with the Cynthia & George Mitchell Foundation and Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, holds a breakfast and a Washington, DC Regional Roundtable event on Thursday at 9:00 a.m. where they will formally launch the final report of the Dialogue Series on Energy Governance: Principled Governance of Shale Resources. The Report seeks to improve shale oil and gas development through emphasizing social equity considerations, improving stakeholder engagement processes at all levels, and cultivating early and transparent communication between regulators, industry leaders, and communities impacted by shale resource development.  Download the Report and review additional Dialogue resources here.

EPA’s Wheeler to Visit House Science – The House Science Committee will host EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler on Thursday at 10:00 a.m.  It is Wheeler’s first visit to the Science Panel. 

Rooney, Tonko Headline WRI Forum – The World Resources Institute holds a discussion Thursday at 11:30 a.m. looking at how to advance policies in the United States that respond to the scale of the climate challenge. New York Times reporter and friend Lisa Friedman will moderate a conversation with Rep. Francis Rooney (R-FL), sponsor of the Stemming Warming and Augmenting Pay Act, and Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY), Chair of the House Energy and Commerce  Subcommittee on Environment and Climate Change. The conversation will be followed by a panel of energy and climate experts that will examine the best opportunities to drive innovation and make the necessary investments to achieve a net-zero future. Distinguished panelists will explore the potential and limits of carbon pricing to rapidly curb emissions, tax incentives to spur funding for climate-smart infrastructure and transportation and much more.

GU, MSNBC Climate Forum Set – The Georgetown's Institute of Politics and Public Service at the McCourt School of Public Policy (GU Politics), MSNBC, Our Daily Planet, and New York Magazine are hosting several 2020 Presidential candidates for the Climate Forum 2020 on Thursday and Friday. The two-day forum features 2020 Presidential candidates in conversation with young voters on the issue of climate change. After 7 hours of climate on CNN this week, we’ll see if this holds water as well. 

Forum to Look at Climate Resilience of Military Bases – The American Security Project holds a discussion on Thursday at 5:50 p.m. looking at military base resilience, focusing on climate security.  Alice Hill, Senior Fellow for Climate Change Policy at the Council on Foreign Relations, Brigadier General Stephen Cheney and Lieutenant General John Castellaw will join moderator Esther Babson, ASP Program Manager for Climate Security, for a short conversation on climate security and military base resilience.

CSIS to Host Climate Discussion – Just days ahead of the UN Climate Action Summit in New York City, the Center Strategic & International Studies will host a discussion on Friday at 9:00 a.m. focused on stepping up climate action, unlocking investments, and how governments and the private sector can cooperate to make progress on these goals.  Dan Jørgensen, Danish Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities, will provide introductory remarks on what government leadership on this agenda can look like. Jørgensen will then sit down with Sarah Ladislaw (CSIS) to discuss the progress and potential of green finance, further actions needed to unlock investments at the scale required, and what private investors are doing to deliver on their commitments.

RFF Forum to Exam Carbon Pricing – Resources for the Future (RFF) will hold a discussion on Friday at 9:30 a.m. to examining the future of carbon pricing.  A flurry of new federal carbon pricing proposals have been released this summer, adding to the chorus of climate plans being proposed in advance of the 2020 elections. Resources for the Future (RFF) has been at the forefront of analyzing many of these proposals, and has captured that information in a greatly expanded version of our popular Carbon Pricing Calculator. Marc Hafstead, Director of RFF’s Carbon Pricing Initiative, showcases the new calculator and hosts a discussion with Susanne Brooks (Environmental Defense Fund), Joseph Majkut (Niskanen Center), and Adele Morris (Brookings Institution) about the various policy proposals what they aim to achieve, why they are structured as they are, and how they differ.

CSIS to Address Sustainable Cities, Communities – On Friday at 1:30 p.m., CSIS will host an event focused on Sustainable Development Goal #11 which aims to increase the inclusivity, sustainability, and accessibility of urban and rural areas. It will feature Dan Hymowitz of the Mayor of Baltimore's Office of Performance and Innovation, Sara Lawrence of RTI International, Chevron’s Janet Auer and former Rep. Tim Penny, who now heads the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation.  The event is part of the "Chevron Forum for Development" series focused on the SDGs.

IN THE FUTURE

Youth Climate Strike Plans to Block DC Traffic –Youth leaders from around the world have called for a climate strike and global week of action from September 20th-27^th. In Washington, DC the Action Network will be answering the call and building on the momentum of the youth climate strikes in a major way: On Monday September 23^rd, they are going to shut down DC by blocking key infrastructure to stop business-as-usual, bringing the whole city to a gridlocked standstill. Good luck with that…probably not a great strategy.

UN Climate Summit Set for NYC – UN Secretary-General António Guterres will host the 2019 Climate Action Summit on September 23 in New York City. The Summit will showcase a leap in collective national political ambition and it will demonstrate massive movements in the real economy in support of the agenda.

RFG, Biodiesel Conference Set – The OPIS RFS2, RINs & Biodiesel Forum kicks off on September 23-25^th in Chicago. The conference will examine the legal landscape for the RFS with a panel of attorneys providing a rundown on how Washington policy may change in the upcoming election year, as well as current cases before the courts, including the oil refining industry challenge to the E15 rule.

National Clean Energy Week (NCEW) set for September – The National Clean Energy Week (NCEW) described by POLITICO as “a veritable who’s who of the Clean Energy World” will be September 23-27 and sent out speaker information ahead of its third annual celebration. ClearPath will be involved, celebrating and raising awareness for reducing emissions through clean energy technologies.

CSIS Expert to Speak at Forum at Bracewell – On Monday September 23^rd at our BRACEWELL offices, the Washington, DC chapter of the Women's Energy Network and Clean Energy Week hold a dialogue on clean energy policy, celebrating and encouraging successful women in the field. Center for Strategic Studies (CSIS) Senior VP and Director and Senior Fellow of the Energy and National Security Program, Sarah Ladislaw will join leaders from the DC chapter of the Women’s Energy Network for a candid discussion about clean energy. Sarah and the moderators will discuss transitions across US clean energy technology and policy and the resulting opportunities to strengthen national security and preserve the environment.  The panel of speakers will also discuss and answer questions on challenges and opportunities for women working in energy in Washington, DC. This event is jointly organized with Clean Energy Week, which highlights US capacity for secure and reliable energy generation and promotes dialogue between industry and government in pursuit of a cleaner and more reliable future.

CSIS to Host EIA International Energy Outlook – The Center for Strategic & International Studies hosts EIA's International Energy Outlook 2019 on Tuesday, September 24^th starting at 9:00 a.m. EIA Administrator Linda Capuano will present the IEO 2019.  The IEO2019 presents long-term projections of world energy supply and demand by region and primary energy source; electricity generation by energy source; and energy-related carbon dioxide emissions.  Panel discussions will examine uncertainties related to the future of global energy consumption and trade, with ClearView’s Kevin Book and Rapidan’s Leslie Palti-Guzman, among others.

Forum to look at Climate Security – The Center for Climate and Security, in partnership with the Environmental and Energy Study Institute, holds the 2019 Climate and National Security Forum: A Climate Security Plan for America on Tuesday September 24^th. This year’s forum will focus on the risks that climate change presents to U.S. military bases and operations, and on the launch of the Climate and Security Advisory Group’s 2020 Climate Security Plan for America, which outlines steps that would help U.S. leadership manage the impacts of climate change on national security.  The Keynote Address will be from retired U.S. Air Force General Ron Keys, who also serves as the board chair for Center for Climate and Security. 

NJ Webinar Features Climate Plans – The National Journal will hold a webinar on Wednesday September 25^th at 11:00 a.m. exploring how climate policy will be impacted by the 2020 election.  Presentation Center analysts and NJ reporter Brian Dabbs will come together to discuss candidates’ plans to address climate change, pathways that a Democratic president could use to achieve their climate goals, and lessons that can be learned from President Trump’s attempts to reform environmental policies.

Carbontech Event Set for CapHill – Third Way, Carbon180, and XPRIZE will host the second annual “Carbontech on the Hill” event, on Thursday September 26^th at 4:30 p.m. which brings together carbontech innovators from across the country to share their work and progress toward building a new carbon economy. The briefing will explore the tremendous opportunity for carbontech in the United States, and what it could mean for American businesses, workers, and climate efforts.

BPC to Look at Natural Disaster Impacts, Costs – The Bipartisan Policy Center holds a forum on Thursday September 26^th on reducing natural disaster costs through building better and stronger.  The costs and devastation associated with natural disasters will continue to increase as storms increase in intensity and the federal government's share of recovery funding has grown from just 26% of costs in 2004 to 70% today. Given the magnitude of recent natural disasters and their recurrent nature, controlling the costs of future disasters is a necessary policy objective.  Because communities impacted by one national disaster are often located in areas vulnerable in the future, to bring down long-term costs, speed up the recovery from future disasters, and ultimately improve the lives of those impacted after storms, we must be smarter about how these areas are rebuilt.  This event will feature a discussion of how the federal government can promote safer and more sustainable communities, while also more responsibly investing limited fiscal resources.

Offshore Wind Forum Set – The POET/Infocast Pacific Rim Offshore Wind Summit will be held on September 30^th to October 2^nd in the Hotel Kabuki in San Francisco.  The event will evaluate markets, influence the energy and environmental policy road map, and explore the potential to form Trans‑Pacific partnerships.  Speakers include BOEM’s Necy Sumit, Equinor’s Sebastien Bringsvaerd, Lars Pedersen of Vineyard Wind, Japanese Trade Minister Takuya Yamazaki and Magellan Wind’s Jim Lanard. 

Thorium Conference Set for Oak Ridge – The Thorium Energy Alliance will hold its 10^th annual conference at the Pollard Technology Conference Center in Oak Ridge, TN on October 1^st.  Speakers, representing academia, private sector manufacturing and federal agencies, will present brief overviews of past achievements, current projects and future paths forward within the Thorium Energy landscape. The TEAC 10 Conference will take place the day prior to the Molten Salt Reactor Workshop occurring at Oak Ridge National Labs (ORNL).

Conference to Look at Tech Change, Innovation – Greentech holds its inaugural transformative technological change conference on October 2-3 in downtown Seattle at the Bell Harbor Conference Center at Pier 66. Leaders from some of the world’s most innovative companies will engage with policymakers, lawmakers, technologists and NGO’s to explore environmental protection in an era of innovation and technological change. Our friends Lisa Jacobson of the Business Council for Sustainable Energy and C2ES head Bob Perciasepe will join former EPA head Bill Reilly and others as speakers. 

USEA to Host DOE Geothermal Official – The US Energy Assn hosts a forum on Wednesday October 2^nd at 11:30 a.m. featuring DOE’s Dr. Susan Hamm, Director of the Geothermal Technologies Office.  Hamm will discuss the findings of the Department of Energy’s report: GeoVision: Harnessing the Heat Beneath Our Feet. In addition to addressing the state of geothermal energy in the U.S., the report highlights the opportunities for geothermal to have a sizable role in meeting the nation’s 21st-century energy demands. The report provides a pathway forward for the future of geothermal and what needs to be done to increase the presence of geothermal in the energy sector.

Chamber Hosts Digital Conference – The U.S. Chamber Foundation and Tata Consultancy Services will be hosting its third Digital Empowers regional forum in Chicago, IL on October 3, in partnership with the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce. This event will convene business leaders, technical experts, and on-the-ground partners that are shaping the future of innovation and social impact in Chicago. The event will also feature emerging issues like artificial intelligence and ethics, civic technology, data and blockchain, and financial literacy. 

SEJ Set for Colorado – The Society of Environmental Journalists (SEJ) holds its annual meeting in Ft. Collins, CO at Colorado State University on Wednesday October 8^th through Sunday the 13^th.   Colorado simultaneously boasts and suffers from a population explosion in Denver and other cities. It is also fertile ground for both clashes and collaborations among parties vying for rights to land, water and air, whether to preserve it for wildlife and human recreation or to use it for energy.   Of course, Bracewell Hosts its Thursday reception for the 19^th straight year

Chatterjee to Keynote AWEA Finance Conference – The AWEA Wind Energy Finance & Investment Conference is set for New York on October 10 and 11^th at the TimesCenter.  This year, the agenda includes sessions led by experts from across the sector who will be sharing their experiences, perspectives and outlook for the future of wind energy finance & investment.  FERC Chair Neil Chatterjee will keynote.

AEE Holds Western States Energy Conference – The Advance Energy Economy (AEE) holds its first annual Western Regional energy policy conference in Scottsdale, Arizona on October 16^th and 17^th.  The event brings together business leaders and policymakers from across the region to identify ways to achieve this goal, state by state and through a regional grid, powered by advanced energy growth from New Mexico to Washington State. Topics will include regionalizing electricity markets in the West, utility action for an advanced energy future, Electric Vehicles (EVs) as assets for cleaning the grid, challenges and opportunities for siting renewable energy projects and grid modernization. 

ACORE Forum Set for SF – ACORE’s 2019 Renewable Energy Grid Forum will take place on October 17^th in San Francisco at the Hilton Financial District.   The event will feature a discussion on the reliability and resilience of 100% clean energy.  Event co-chair and Edison International’s Senior Vice President of Strategy & Corporate Development Drew Murphy will hold a fireside chat on the role of utilities in America's transition to renewable energy moderated by ACORE’s President and CEO Greg Wetstone.  Our friend Rob Gramlich also speaks.

Offshore Wind Conference Moves to Boston – The American Wind Energy Assn holds its annual Offshore WINDPOWER Conference & Exhibition on Tuesday October 22^nd and Wednesday the 23^rd in Boston at the Park Plaza.  The event has cultivated a dedicated and thriving global community of top developers and experts, making it the largest and most successful gathering of offshore wind energy professionals in the United States.  The decision to grant small refinery hardship is a legal decision, not a political one, and we’re pleased that USDA’s influence didn’t cause EPA to depart from the rule of law. Small Refiners hurt by broken #RFS #ethanol.

ELI Annual Dinner to Honor Patagonia Leaders – The 2019 Environmental Law Institute Awards Dinner will take place on Tuesday, October 22^nd at the Omni Shoreham Hotel.  ELI will honor 2019 award winners, Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia, and Rose Marcario, Patagonia's president and CEO.  Bracewell is a major sponsor of the event.