Barbara Boxer: In the Driver's Seat on Environmental Laws

The chair of the Senate Environment Committee will shape a variety of green energy legislation

By Alex Kingsbury

March 31, 2009 RSS Feed Print

TOP ENVIRONMENT PLAYER

California Sen. Barbara Boxer is one of the environmental movement's biggest legislative supporters. She's opposed drilling offshore and in ANWR and backed cleaner drinking water standards and corporate funding of toxic cleanups. Her perch atop the Committee on Environment and Public Works puts her in the driver's seat for a variety of green agenda items, some of which have already begun. For instance, the economic stimulus bill signed by President Obama included a measure to increase the efficiency of thousands of government buildings.

Winning support from a few key members across the aisle will be vital, a challenge made greater by the fact that some in the GOP question the science of global warming. But getting around that can sometimes be as simple as punting on questions of causation. Last year, Oklahoma Republican Sen. James Inhofe, a global warming skeptic, cosponsored a bill with Boxer tightening efficiency standards for federal buildings. Gaining his backing was as easy as ensuring that the bill's text didn't include the words carbon or global warming. Similar compromises might be in the offing when issues like the transportation bill come before Boxer's committee.

But the approaching legislative calendar isn't filled with such obvious middle ground, and her success may hinge on selling the idea that reducing dependence on foreign oil is as much an economic and national security issue as an environmental one. Watch for Boxer to support legislation that extends California-style tailpipe emissions cuts and the regulation of other greenhouse gases under language in the Clean Air Act. Increasing the use of renewable fuels and devising a cap-and-trade system for CO2 are also legislative priorities.

READ ABOUT THE NEXT OF THE TOP EIGHT WASHINGTON PLAYERS ON ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT.

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Barbara Boxer,
Senate,
Congress,
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Resourceblue of 8:27AM January 05, 2010

I find it amazing we in america can't drill or create jobs unless they are green jobs,

but we drill over in other countries, cut down tree in rain Forest, in the artic,

and best of all, Chicago, puts 2,000 pds of toxins in the canal to kill asian carp,

instead we kill 200,000 fish. So, our government is destroying our country.

But in california they shut down farmland over a fish, Common and Sense if

you kept the farm growing food it was creating jobs and brought money into

california, who is out of money, and now taxes 10% tax on citizen. I know

there are company in United States of America, who want to drill for oil, use

coal so let start creating jobs here. Congress spends money like water,

and all the taxes we the people paid all these years they were suppose to put that

money back into our country. But people congress had another agenda.

I was once taught in High school study history, watch your government, I was

I now realize he was right. We the people was sleepy and alot are losing jobs,

especially with free trade. What makes America great, is people who don't

have alot of money people still donate. God bless America.

na of MI 7:30PM December 09, 2009

i am impressed with the consistancy with which the oil industry has pulled the wool over the public eye since the first well was brought in.

They have consistantly created the impression of a limited supply or a shortge of available refined product for well over a hundred years.

As demand increased they miraculously found oil supplies to fill it.Good solid business I say except for the fact that their recent greed has literally taken the food out of people's mouths and in my opinion, contributed heavily to the collapse of our economy when they drove the cost of a gallon of gas past $4.00.

I don't have a problem with riggers and dirllers and the work-a-day people who make the whole thing go. I have a problem with the speculators and managers and accountants who scheme to fill their pockets beyond reason or decency.

I believe Exon-Mobile alone pulled in something in the neighborhood of thirty billion in NET profit in a down turned economy.

Right now gas is at $2.60 plus for no reason other than to fill the coffers and try to move that profit figure up another notch or two.

They cry about hurricanes etc. Are we really supposed to think that the leadership of the oil industry has not prepared for the inevitable hurricane or ship sinking or war or what ever? What does a store do just before a busy time? Tehy build up their inventory. Pretty basic stuff. The oil industry prefers to shut down the refinery and claim that it was coincidentally time for maintenance.

It's greed from within that will eventually bring this country to it's knees.Its the international executive who has no allegiance to any country who will be the driving force.

Roy Hubbard of GA 9:24PM October 28, 2009

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