Energy & Environment: Markey Wants Answers on Rare Earths
• Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass., "is pressing the Obama administration for information about alleged Chinese restrictions on the export of rare earth minerals used in defense and energy technologies, warning of threats to U.S. interests," The Hill reports.
• "Three months after BP capped its runaway well in the Gulf of Mexico, the state of Louisiana is still building a chain of sand berms off its coast to block and capture oil even as federal officials and many scientists argue that the effort will prove pointless," the New York Times reports.
• An Idaho couple has "sued the state to stop the shipments by Imperial Oil and ConocoPhillips" to an oil sands site in Canada, "arguing that the" truck loads delivered there "would threaten the integrity of Idaho's historic portion of U.S. 12, as well as the safety of communities that depend on it as the main road in and out of the area," the Times also reports. "National environmental groups and climate change activists are supporting their efforts, seeing a broader opportunity to stall development of Canada's oil sands, which they denounce as a dirty source of energy. "
• "Combating climate change has long taken a back seat to coal production in West Virginia, but in the hard-fought House race in this state's 1st district, global warming hasn't even made it onto the bus," The Hill reports. "In interviews on Thursday, both the Democratic and Republican nominees for Congress voiced skepticism of the science behind global warming, and the Republican, David McKinley, flatly called concerns about climate change 'an attack on coal.'"
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Armond Cohen
Biography provided by participant
Armond Cohen is co-founder and Executive Director of the Clean Air Task Force, which he has led since its formation in 1996. In addition to managing CATF, Armond is actively involved in CATF projects focusing on Arctic stabilization, low carbon technology innovation and coal transition.
Prior to his work with CATF, Armond led the Conservation Law Foundation's Energy Project starting in 1983. He is a graduate of Brown University and Harvard Law School, and served as judicial clerk for the late Harlington Wood, Jr. of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit 1982-1983. Armond has published numerous articles on climate, energy, and air pollution, and speaks and testifies frequently on these topics. He is a member of the Keystone Energy Board and US EPA's Clean Air Act Advisory Committee.
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