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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Barry Russell
Biography provided by participant
Russell, who joined IPAA in 1980, serves as the president and CEO of the association and is responsible for its day-to-day operations. Prior to being elected president in 2000, Russell served as executive vice president, general counsel, and corporate secretary. Over the last several years, Russell has worked with over thirty state and national associations to create IPAA's grassroots network, which helps the industry explain important policy positions to Congress and Washington policymakers. In addition, Russell developed the IPAA Education Center which is dedicated to teaching students at various levels about energy policy and careers in the industry.
Russell serves on the board of the IPAA Educational Foundation, the Business Industry Political Action Committee, and the National Energy Education Development Project. In the past he has served on the Board of the North American Prospect Expo, the Petroleum Technology Transfer Council, and the Jefferson Energy Foundation. He was a a founding member of the Environmental Issues Council, an organization of trade associations based in Washington, D.C.
Russell began his career in the Environmental Protection Agency's Office of General Counsel and Enforcement. Prior to joining IPAA, Russell worked for several management consulting firms including Booz, Allen and Hamilton. He received his law degree from George Washington University Law School, and he graduated from Penn State University with a B.S. in psychology and a B.A. in economics. He has also completed courses in environmental mediation and negotiation at Harvard University and MIT.
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