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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Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass.
Biography provided by participant
Rep. Ed Markey was named by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in 2007 to be chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, which is responsible for tackling our nation's dependence on imported oil and the threat posed by global climate change. In addition, Markey continues to serve as chairman of the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, in charge of ensuring our telecommunications laws and regulations continue to spur technological innovation, competition, consumer choice, and privacy protection. He also serves on the House Natural Resources Committee and the Homeland Security Committee.
First elected in 1976, Markey has championed consumer rights, the environment, technology innovation, human rights, health reform, the elimination of large monopolies, halting the proliferation of nuclear weapons and strengthening our homeland security.
He attended Boston College and Boston College Law School, served in the U.S. Army Reserve, and was elected to the Massachusetts State House where he served two terms before coming to Congress.
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