GOP WANTS MORE: Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas) says the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has not turned over all documents in a probe into missing text messages, and he’s ready to file a subpoena to get them.
Smith, chairman of the House Science Committee, says the EPA gave him some documents that he’d asked for in February that mention texts EPA head Gina McCarthy deleted, allegedly in violation of record retention rules.
{mosads}In a letter to McCarthy, Smith said his committee has reason to believe that some additional emails mention more missing text messages.
EPA says the texts were not subject to retention rules, but Smith is questioning the agency’s transparency.
EPA spokeswoman Liz Purchia said the agency responded completely to Smith’s request, but will work with the panel on the issue.
Read more here.
DON’T SAY CLIMATE CHANGE: The Florida Center for Investigative Reporting alleged over the weekend that, under Gov. Rick Scott (R), employees at Florida’s environmental agency have been banned from using “climate change” or “global warming” in official communications.
Former employees, consultants and others told the group that avoiding mentioning climate change was difficult and had a real impact on the agency’s work.
Both the agency and Scott denied the report through spokeswomen.
Scott is skeptical of human-caused climate change, declaring last year when asked about it that he’s “not a scientist.”
Read more here.
ON TAP TUESDAY I: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) will kick off its Regulatory Information Conference Tuesday, meant to discuss the NRC’s ongoing and future work with regulations. NRC Chairman Stephen Burns will give a morning keynote address, and commissioners Kristine Svinicki and William Ostendorff will give their own speeches, followed by technical sessions.
ON TAP TUESDAY II: The Atlantic Council will hold a discussion on new technologies in the power industry and what they mean for the sector’s future. Southern Company President Thomas Fanning will deliver the keynote speech.
Rest of Tuesday’s agenda …
The National Press Club will host a news conference on whether ending the Cuban embargo will harm its environment. David Guggenheim will present clips from various films on the positive effect the embargo has had on coral reefs around Cuba compared with other Caribbean islands.
The Woodrow Wilson Center’s Africa Program will hold a forum Tuesday on energy security and growth in Sub-Saharan Africa. It will feature three experts on various subjects.
NEWS BITE:
The Energy Department has chosen David Mohler to be its deputy assistant secretary for clean coal and carbon management, within the fossil energy office, it said Monday.
Mohler, who was most recently the chief technology officer at power utility Duke Energy Corp., will oversee carbon capture and sequestration projects, as well as various other research and development initiatives aimed at making fossil fuels burn cleaner.
“David brings a depth of knowledge to the department,” said Christopher Smith, Energy’s assistant secretary for fossil energy. “From managing power plants to leading technology development as a senior executive, his experience and expertise is impressive.”
AROUND THE WEB:
One coal miner was killed and two were injured Sunday after a roof collapsed in a Murray Energy Corp. mine in West Virginia, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Under Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf (D), state officials are proposing to increase their oversight of the disposal of oil and drilling waste, including that from hydraulic fracturing, NPR reports.
Researchers are blaming climate change for turning Chilean mummies into a “black ooze,” Science Daily reports.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
Check out Monday’s stories …
– Republicans criticize climate change cost accounting
– GOP threatens EPA chief with subpoena for missing texts
– East Coast Dems push against Atlantic offshore drilling
– Will Club for Growth take on Murkowski?
– Oil train derails in Canada
– Fla. officials banned from using ‘climate change’?
– Week ahead: Senate to put climate rule under microscope
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