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Illustration: Natalie Peeples/Axios
Home Republicans are planning an onslaught of investigations into Biden local weather insurance policies that would have an unintended consequence: asking questions progressives need answered.
Why it issues: The probes may set the desk for conversations between Republicans and Democrats within the new Congress in regards to the thorny features of transitioning away from fossil fuels, together with human rights.
What they’re saying: Some Republicans say they hope the oversight plans create a gap for bipartisan conversations about cleansing up the dirtier features of “clear” power.
- “Do I believe that popping out of the gates, you’re going to have conservatives holding arms and saying, ‘Yeah, let’s do that’? No,” mentioned Rep. Garret Graves (R-La.). “[But] I believe you will notice of us that come to the desk prepared to speak about these points.”
Driving the information: Republicans have despatched scores of letters to Biden administration officers signaling that subsequent 12 months will see probes into how President Biden handles the numerous dangers and trade-offs along with his strategy on local weather.
- They plan on discussing drawbacks within the power transition that environmentalists, labor teams and human rights activists additionally need extra consideration on.
- These embrace working conditions at overseas mining projects and whether or not moonshot climate technologies are actually viable options for fast carbon cuts.
- One of many investigations will give attention to an Energy Department loan program answerable for the Obama-era scandal round Solyndra. Progressives additionally need the mortgage program to face more scrutiny.
The large image: The transition from burning fossil fuels to avert a local weather disaster may have myriad penalties for American methods of life, from increased costs and “greenflation” to a brand new mining growth.
- The GOP’s most popular options — like an emphasis on burning “pure” gasoline —stay out of step with what scientists say we have to deal with international warming.
Sure, however: Brett Hartl, authorities affairs director for the nonprofit Heart for Organic Range, says this oversight work is required as a result of Democrats aren’t spending extra time on whether or not Biden’s local weather technique is definitely saving the planet.
- On the similar time, he is suspicious of the GOP oversight as a result of “a lot of their core ideology is predicated on dismantling federal companies” just like the EPA.
- “It’s the basic stopped clock proper twice a day sort of factor,” Hartl mentioned. “I believe it’s an unlucky actuality that there’s not sufficient oversight coming from the Democratic facet.”
The underside line: Republicans are about to assist progressives get extra details about local weather coverage points the place they’re annoyed with the Biden administration.
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