Today’s Science Policy News for July, 2nd 2009
look at today’s science and health policy news:
Energy Policy’s ‘Lone Voice in the Wilderness’ Finds Place in Climate Debate
NY Times — The Commodity Futures Trading Commission invited Tyson Slocum in May to join the Energy and Environmental Markets Advisory Committee, which is preparing for regulation of the carbon derivatives market. And he has been working on toughening commodity regulations with House Agriculture Chairman Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) and with staffers for Sens. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).
EPA Proposes Stringent Standards for Large Ships
Reuters — The US Environmental Protection Agency today announced the next steps in a coordinated strategy to reduce emissions from ocean-going vessels. The EPA is proposing a rule under the Clean Air Act that sets engine and fuel standards for U.S. flagged ships that would harmonize with international standards and are expected to lead to significant air quality improvements throughout the country, especially near ports.
Suicide Warnings for 2 Anti-Smoking Drugs
NY Times — Federal drug regulators warned Wednesday that patients taking two popular drugs to stop smoking should be watched closely for signs of serious mental illness, as reports mount of suicides among the drugs’ users.
Green Buildings Get Boost in Cap-and-Trade Bill
Wall Street Journal — The bill mandates that upon passage, all states move to adopt standards for residential and commercial structures that are at least 30 percent better than two widely accepted energy codes. The requirements get more strict over time, and states would get lots of money from the federal government to enforce them.
Scrubbing CO2 With Synthetic Trees
NY Times — Deploying technology on a grand scale to alter the planet and combat global warming — that is, the concept of geoengineering — has had scientists brainstorming for some time. Ideas vary, from spraying reflective particles into the atmosphere, to seeding the oceans with iron, to launching a giant reflective sunshade into space.
First Direct Evidence Of Lightning On Mars Detected
Science Daily — For the first time, direct evidence of lightning has been detected on Mars, say University of Michigan researchers who found signs of electrical discharges during dust storms on the Red Planet.
NASA Reconsiders Its Moon Plans
Popular Science — Next year, 33 years after its maiden flight, the space shuttle will retire. What happens after that has become subject to fierce debate within the space agency. The designated successor program, named Constellation, was the darling of previous NASA administrator Michael Griffin, but a new review now has the space agency looking elsewhere for a ride back into the firmament.
Justice tech a big winner in Senate spending bill
Federal Computer Week — The bill approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee on June 25 would spend $95 million on the Justice Information Sharing Technology program, which is used for corporate technology investments. The committee’s recommendation is $15 million more than the program got this year but about $28.6 million below what President Barack Obama had requested for the program.
Defend America, One Laptop at a Time
NY Times (Opinion) — Our economy, energy supply, means of transportation and military defenses are dependent on vast, interconnected computer and telecommunications networks. These networks are poorly defended and vulnerable to theft, disruption or destruction by foreign states, criminal organizations, individual hackers and, potentially, terrorists.
Fuel Standards Are Killing GM
Wall Street Journal (Opinion) — General Motors can survive bankruptcy far more easily than it can survive President Barack Obama’s ambitious fuel economy standards, which mandate that all new vehicles average 35.5 miles per gallon by 2016.
The New Energy Politics
Washington Post (Opinion) — Hours before the House passed its cap-and-trade bill last week, freshman Democrats Tom Perriello and Frank Kratovil were pondering the political fallout of the votes they were about to cast in favor of a plan Republicans were denouncing as “cap-and-tax.”
Fuel Standards Are Killing GM
Wall Street Journal (Opinion) — General Motors can survive bankruptcy far more easily than it can survive President Barack Obama’s ambitious fuel economy standards, which mandate that all new vehicles average 35.5 miles per gallon by 2016.
Defend America, One Laptop at a Time
NY Times (Opinion) — Our economy, energy supply, means of transportation and military defenses are dependent on vast, interconnected computer and telecommunications networks. These networks are poorly defended and vulnerable to theft, disruption or destruction by foreign states, criminal organizations, individual hackers and, potentially, terrorists.
Justice tech a big winner in Senate spending bill
Federal Computer Week — The bill approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee on June 25 would spend $95 million on the Justice Information Sharing Technology program, which is used for corporate technology investments. The committee’s recommendation is $15 million more than the program got this year but about $28.6 million below what President Barack Obama had requested for the program.
NASA Reconsiders Its Moon Plans
Popular Science — Next year, 33 years after its maiden flight, the space shuttle will retire. What happens after that has become subject to fierce debate within the space agency. The designated successor program, named Constellation, was the darling of previous NASA administrator Michael Griffin, but a new review now has the space agency looking elsewhere for a ride back into the firmament.
First Direct Evidence Of Lightning On Mars Detected
Science Daily — For the first time, direct evidence of lightning has been detected on Mars, say University of Michigan researchers who found signs of electrical discharges during dust storms on the Red Planet.
Scrubbing CO2 With Synthetic Trees
NY Times — Deploying technology on a grand scale to alter the planet and combat global warming — that is, the concept of geoengineering — has had scientists brainstorming for some time. Ideas vary, from spraying reflective particles into the atmosphere, to seeding the oceans with iron, to launching a giant reflective sunshade into space.








