U.S. Sen. Katie Britt (R-Montgomery) believes that the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is making the right decision when it comes to extending the life of two coal plants.

Last week, the TVA Board of Directors approved keeping the Kingston and Cumberland Fossil Plants running longer than originally planned. This is a part of the Administration’s energy dominance strategy to prioritize domestic energy production they believe strengthens America’s economy and security.

Britt lauded the decision, saying it is a much needed reversal of the energy policies enacted by former President Joe Biden.

“Glad to see the TVA take this decisive action to bolster Alabama’s grid security,” Britt said. “The Biden Administration’s anti-energy policies would have resulted in 3,800MW of reliable power being removed from the grid — enough to power 3 million homes!”

https://x.com/SenKatieBritt/status/2024493976242339910

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, coal generation increased 31% during Winter Storm Fern – accounting for 21% of U.S. power output – while solar, wind and hydropower dropped significantly. TVA’s coal fleet reliably delivered 14% of the region’s power during peak demand on January 27, ensuring reliability when it mattered most.

“TVA is building America’s energy future while keeping the lights on today,” said Don Moul, TVA President and CEO. “Our mission is clear: provide reliable, affordable power for the 10 million people we serve. Taking steps to continue operations at Cumberland and Kingston and completing new generation under construction are essential to meet surging demand and power our region’s growing economy.”

Britt also believes it’s needed to keep up with the increasing demand.

“Now more than ever, we need electrons on the grid,” she said. “Coal plays a critical role in fueling American energy dominance, and I remain committed to fighting for those who power America.”

Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” weekdays 9-11 a.m. on WVNN. You can follow him on X @Yaffee

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall is advocating to cancel out a $20 billion climate slush fund approved under the Biden administration.

Marshall, who is also a candidate for the U.S. Senate, joined a coalition of states Tuesday supporting the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) effort to shut down a Biden-era climate grant program.

EPA officials admitted the administration rushed nearly $20 billion in taxpayer funds out the door like “gold bars off the Titanic,” prioritizing political timing and ideological goals over accountability, oversight, and the rule of law.

“When federal officials admit they were throwing taxpayer money overboard like ‘gold bars off the Titanic,’ that’s not climate policy, it’s reckless mismanagement,” Marshall said. “Forcing EPA to keep paying out these grants would mean ordering the agency to violate federal law and the Constitution.”

https://x.com/AGSteveMarshall/status/2013694418096693293

According to the brief, the Biden administration funneled nearly $20 billion to just eight nonprofit entities, many with little to no financial track record, through a novel funding structure that stripped EPA of meaningful control over taxpayer dollars.

Internal admissions revealed officials viewed the program as an “insurance policy” against losing power, hastily rewriting grant agreements after the 2024 election to limit EPA’s authority to intervene.

“That’s not how government is supposed to work, and it’s not something the courts should endorse,” Marshall added. “EPA has a duty to stop a scheme designed to evade oversight and lock in billions before voters could hold anyone accountable.”

The states argue the grants violated the Inflation Reduction Act’s requirement that funds be awarded on a competitive basis and failed to serve the general welfare, as required by the Constitution.

The brief also details how the program disproportionately harmed energy-producing states like Alabama by directing taxpayer dollars toward ideologically driven projects while undermining reliable, affordable energy and local economies.

The coalition is asking the court to allow EPA to proceed with rescinding and reassessing the grants to ensure federal funds are spent lawfully, transparently, and in accordance with Congress’s intent.

The West Virginia led coalition included Alabama and attorneys general from: Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming.

Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” weekdays 9-11 a.m. on WVNN. You can follow him on X @Yaffee

U.S. Rep. Gary Palmer (R-Hoover) is asking California’s top environmental agency for answers as the state appears to be ignoring Congress’ reversal of three key electric vehicle standards.

Palmer, who sits on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, recently joined his colleagues in sending a letter to the Executive Officer of the California Air Resources Board, inquiring about the state’s non-compliance in relation to the rollback of EV rules.

RELATED: Gary Palmer introduces bill to end China’s grip on critical minerals, ‘unleash American energy’ by cementing Trump’s orders

The letter, led by House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman U.S. Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.), expressed concern regarding reports “California, and other jurisdictions that have adopted California standards for which waivers of preemption have been granted, are enforcing preempted vehicle emission regulations in violation of the Clean Air Act.”

Congress nullified the Biden-era waivers granted by the Biden EPA to California earlier this year using the Congressional Review Act.

“These efforts include CARB staff indicating that the agency would deny California Executive Orders (EO) for model year 2026 vehicles that meet all of CARB’s enforceable regulatory requirements and which California allowed for sale in model year 2025,” the letter continued, “on the basis that these vehicles do not meet the additional requirements in one set of the preempted regulations: ACC-II.”

RELATED: Gary Palmer named chairman of U.S. House Subcommittee on Environment, vows to eliminate ‘dependence on China’ for critical minerals

The committee also posted about the investigation on X.

“California must follow the law and once again allow consumers to choose the best vehicles for them.”

ICYMI: Chairmen @RepGuthrie, @USRepGaryPalmer, and @RepJohnJoyce are investigating California’s decision to continue enforcing its EV mandate on American consumers and manufacturers.

California must follow the law and once again allow consumers to choose the best vehicles for…

— Energy and Commerce Committee (@HouseCommerce) August 12, 2025

Several liberal ran states have now also adopted California’s low-emissions standards.

Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” weekdays 9-11 a.m. on WVNN. You can follow him on X @Yaffee

U.S. Rep. Gary Palmer (R-Hoover) declared victory Thursday after the Senate passed his bill that reverses a ban on natural gas powered water heaters

Former President Joe Biden’s Department of Energy announced a new rule banning non-condensing, natural gas-fired water heaters by 2029. The administration is argued that it was needed to help cut down on fossil fuel emissions and combat climate change.

Palmer’s resolution uses Congressional Review Act (CRA), which allows Congress to overturn rules enacted by federal agencies.

“I applaud the Senate on passing this legislation to protect not only gas water heaters, but consumers,” Palmer said.

“For four years, the Biden-Harris administration waged war on our home appliances. When their reign was coming to an end, they attempted to implement senseless and overreaching regulations at the last minute that would increase costs for the American people. With a unified Republican government, we must reduce costs by reversing these regulations. Today, the Senate did just that. I look forward to seeing this legislation cross the finish line and get signed by President Trump soon.”

The Senate just passed my legislation with @SenTedCruz to block the Biden-Harris administration’s last-minute attempt to ban certain natural gas water heaters.

This is a major step towards reversing senseless regulations and reducing costs for the American people! https://t.co/Fuxn311R7t

— Gary Palmer (@USRepGaryPalmer) April 10, 2025

U.S. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) sponsored identical legislation in the Senate, which passed by a vote of 53 – 44.

“Their rule would have forced Americans to either pay hundreds of dollars more for efficient water heaters or purchase less efficient models,” Cruz said.

The Senate just passed my CRA to reverse a Biden-era rule that increased costs on Americans.

Their rule would have forced Americans to either pay hundreds of dollars more for efficient water heaters or purchase less efficient models. @RuthlessPodcast heard it first:… pic.twitter.com/RinNYudW7u

— Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) April 10, 2025

Rep. Palmer’s legislation passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 221 – 198 – 2 in February.

U.S. Rep. Gary Palmer (R-Hoover) introduced a resolution this week a new Biden administration ban on natural gas water heaters.

“It’s a radical ban on water heaters. Another example of government overreach under the Biden administration on their way out the door,” Palmer told Fox News Digital earlier this week. “They care nothing about consumers.”

Biden’s Department of Energy announced a new rule banning non-condensing, natural gas-fired water heaters by 2029. The administration is arguing that it’s needed to help cut down on fossil fuel emissions and combat climate change.

“The idea that this is somehow going to save money over the long term when the front end costs that people have to pay out of their pocket for one of these water heaters that complies with the rule is absurd,” Palmer argued. “So, we’re doing what we can to look out for the average American family. The low to middle income type of family that for the last four years have struggled to make ends meat.”

RELATED: Tuberville, Cruz introduce bill to repeal Biden’s natural gas tax – ‘Puts American taxpayers first’

Palmer’s resolution is being done through the Congressional Review Act (CRA), which allows Congress to overturn rules enacted by federal agencies.

“And it really comes down to the basic issue of the cost of living,” Palmer said. “Securing the border and other issues were top priorities as well, but I really think this came down to who looks out for the average family. And I think the voting public voted for Donald Trump for that reason, and gave us the majority in the Senate and allowed us to keep the majority in the House for that reason.”

Palmer’s resolution has seen a lot of support from many of his Republican colleagues in the House.

I was proud to join @USRepGaryPalmer on a bill to block the Biden Administration’s ban on water heaters and put a stop to President Biden’s regulatory assault on American homes and American energy.https://t.co/nt3EdM4i39

— Congressman Jim Baird (@RepJimBaird) January 16, 2025

Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” weekdays 9-11 a.m. on WVNN. You can follow him on Twitter @Yaffee

Energy security means national security, plain and simple.  

Access to abundant natural resources that can be used for energy generation gives us the ability to keep the lights on and power our society. Without access to cheap, reliable and consistent energy sources, it becomes increasingly difficult to give communities, employers, local businesses, schools, churches, law enforcement and countless other institutions the power they need to thrive.  

There is obviously a large push both nationally and globally for “green energy” – I believe that is a fine and acceptable goal for entities and individuals to pursue, as long as it doesn’t come at the cost of traditional, baseload energy resources such as natural gas, coal, and hydroelectric energy generation. 

What is baseload power? Baseload power is the minimum level of demand on an electrical grid over a span of time. With emerging green energy technology, solar and wind being primary examples, power generation is entirely dependent on the sun shining and the wind blowing.

In my experience, weather can be an unpredictable factor when planning something as simple as a Saturday picnic, much less with a power grid. 

Conventional powerplants, notably coal, natural gas and hydro-powered plants do not have that problem. They generate power rain or shine, giving our economy and our communities the dependable – and affordable – power needed to thrive.  

There is nothing wrong with adding certain forms of green energy to that conventional energy mix – but it should not be viewed as a replacement. As we have seen in other states who have dived too ambitiously into the deep end of renewable energy, dependance on unreliable power sources has caused major disruptions and problems on a large scale. 

A few key problems that arise are blackouts when there is not enough energy production to power the electric grid, which wreaks havoc on not just local economies as businesses can’t power their operations, but also schools, hospitals, law enforcement capabilities and really just life in general. 

This is especially true when communities are faced with extreme weather temperatures and are unable to cool or heat their homes when they need to the most. That can be fatal.

The rise of blackouts are also often paired with often exorbitant prices that are simply untenable for many consumers. That is tough to justify when looking at the far more affordable energy sources that we in America have available in droves. 

Given the obvious downsides of being overly reliant on green energy, those who push for policies such as the “Green New Deal” need a way to justify their proposed transitions in the energy sector, and many have identified labeling the pursuit of renewable energy to fight climate change as “a national security issue.” 

Let’s be honest with ourselves – it is quite obvious that climate change it is not a legitimate national security concern and should not been prioritized as such. 

Energy independence and having a strong and secure power grid, on the other hand, certainly is.

The campaign against coal and natural gas does not only put thousands of American jobs at risk, and would bring detrimental harm to the countless families who sustain their livelihoods in those related industries, once we forgo our plentiful domestic natural resources for unreliable, unaffordable “green energy,” we also become dependent on foreign nations and foreign actors who don’t have America’s best interests in mind. 

We have all seen the impact of reliance on Russian energy in several European nations since the war in Ukraine broke out – we need to make sure that we don’t expose ourselves to such risks domestically. 

Again, if an entity wants to invest in renewable energy that is their prerogative, but it would be simply unthinkable to do that at the expense of our most efficient energy resources. That would not improve national security, it would diminish it. 

In order to remain energy independent and power our communities big and small in an affordable way for consumers, we need to unleash and support our domestic energy production and ensure that we have a grid that can sustain an economy of the future.

To not do so would be a mistake with wide-ranging consequences for our economy and way of life for generations to come.  

Gerald Allen represents Alabama’s 21st District (Tuscaloosa, Pickens & Lamar Counties) in the Alabama State Senate. 

Alabama’s U.S. Senators Tommy Tuberville and Katie Britt joined a group of fellow Senate colleagues today in sending a letter to U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and U.S. Department of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland.

In the letter, the legislators expressed concern over the Biden Administration’s “radical” climate agenda and inquired about the current and future rule makings in relation to protections and critical habitat designations for Rice’s whales ahead of upcoming Senate budget hearings.

“While NOAA and BOEM’s data is incomplete, we do have a robust understanding of the economic impact of the Gulf of Mexico,” the senators wrote. “Our ports provide a clear view of commercial activity in and out of the Gulf. In Texas, the Port of Houston generated $439 billion in statewide economic value in 2022. Ports across the state of Louisiana generated $182 billion in statewide economic impact, which includes nine ports located directly on the coast. In Alabama, the Port of Mobile generated more than $85 billion in total economic activity in 2021.”

RELATED: Save the whales? Gulf Coast officials warn of NOAA ‘overreach’

“Imposing restrictions on development in the Gulf of Mexico would directly harm the economic activity and jobs across coastal communities.”

According to Tuberville, the Biden administration has repeatedly implemented rules based on outdated data that lacks sound scientific backing, including a recent proposal to establish a 28,000-square-mile Critical Habitat for the Rice’s whale within the Gulf of Mexico, despite a lack of evidence supporting the need to establish one.

This isn’t the first time that Alabama’s two senators have been vocal on the issue.

In 2023, The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) announced that it had formally denied a petition from non-government organizations to establish a mandatory 10-knot speed limit and other vessel related mitigation measures in the Gulf of Mexico to protect the whale.

RELATED: Gulf Coast wins against ‘far-left activists’ in NOAA decision, Alabama officials say

Senator Britt applauded the groups efforts.

I am happy to say that NOAA heard our request and today rejected the nonsensical Rice’s whale petition pushed by far-left activists,” said Britt. “This proposal would have significantly impeded operations at the Port of Mobile, damaged Alabama’s economy, and harmed commercial and recreational fishing operations off the Gulf Coast.”

Senator Tuberville agreed wholeheartedly with the decision by NOAA.

“I was glad to see the NOAA come to their senses and reject this part of the Biden Administration’s overreaching regulatory agenda in the Gulf of Mexico,” said Tuberville. “Unfortunately, we still have a long way to go. Designating a Critical Habitat for the Rice’s whale throughout this expansive area would impose undue burdens and restrictions on all vessel traffic, especially in and out of the Port of Mobile in Mobile, AL.”

“The Port of Mobile covers over 4,000 acres, generates nearly 313,000 jobs, provides approximately $2 billion in state and local tax impacts, and $85 billion in economic value to Alabama as a whole.”

“I will continue to fight back against Joe Biden’s attempts to make us reliant on our enemies for energy when we can be producing it right here in the United States, and especially in Alabama.”

Austen Shipley is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News.

U.S. Rep. Gary Palmer thinks President Joe Biden is putting America’s national security in danger with his push for more renewable energy.

During a House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing Thursday, a top Environmental Protection Agency official tasked with guiding the Biden administration’s emissions regulation policies, Joseph Goffman, testified to lawmakers.

Goffman is the Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Office of Air and Radiation.

During the hearing, Palmer (R-Hoover) said Biden’s energy policies make the U.S. more dependent on China.

https://twitter.com/USRepGaryPalmer/status/1671905297122590721?s=20

“I’m so tired of putting our national security at risk,” Palmer said, “because there is no way that we’re going to catch up with China in battery production because we can’t even get the permits to do the mining for the materials you need to make batteries. And what this administration is doing is putting the country at risk by making us much more dependent on China.”

The congressman warned about the dangers of the country switching to more electric vehicles too soon.

“[P]eople need to wake up to this,” he said. “This is past politics. I’m not interested in the politics of it. I’m focused on the policy. I’m focused on the risk that imposes on people. And we’re going to see that here if we go headlong into EVs, into full-bore renewables. We’re going to see people die because of the propaganda coming out of this administration.”

Palmer also had some strong words for Goffman.

“So don’t come in here and tell us that you’re concerned about the air quality and how it’s going to impact people,” he said. “We’ve done a remarkable job of improving our air quality, which I’ve yet to hear a single witness from this administration admit to.”

Palmer said he believes Biden’s energy policies are an attack on people’s individual liberties.

“This is an assault on freedom and it’s dangerous,” he said. “It’s not only a threat to people’s personal safety, it’s a threat to our national security, it’s a threat to our economy, and people need to understand this.”

Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” weekdays 9-11 a.m. on WVNN. You can follow him on Twitter @Yaffee

U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) spoke out on Tuesday against “hyperbolic climate alarmism” and promoted energy produced in the United States. Tuberville believes that American produced energy is far more clean than energy produced in other countries throughout the world.

The Senator mentioned in his speech that Americans should not be blamed for a problem that is global. He also cautioned against using exaggerated claims that are based on assumptions and unproven, debated projections.

According to Tuberville, instead of engaging in alarmist behavior, the U.S. should grow domestic energy production to support the country’s economy and lower energy costs for Americans.

“We should be doing everything we can to fix the problems created by the government, and get Americans back on their feet by unleashing our economic potential and opening doors of opportunity,” said Tuberville.

He discussed what he sees as the general mindset of many legislators in Washington.

“Unfortunately, too many here in Washington are still focused on growing the size of government and adding regulations they say will save the environment. However, very rarely does making the government larger benefit the American taxpayers.”

Tuberville also spoke about the risk that big government poses to American citizens when it comes to climate change.

“For decades, fans of big government have used climate change warnings to grow their power…They have claimed we’re near the edge of a climate cliff, a prediction they know is impossible to prove, and has never come true.”

“Of course, they claim, the only solution to this cooked up-crisis is for you, the American taxpayer, to sacrifice even more of your freedoms to tackle this so-called climate dilemma.”

Austen Shipley is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News.

Additions of heat-capturing infrastructure around the National Weather Service (NWS) weather station at Huntsville International Airport are likely the cause for temperature data that NWS says shows the city had the hottest July on record, says Alabama’s state climatologist.

Dr. John Christy is the director of the Earth System Science Center at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), a part of the University of Alabama System. As the state’s climatologist, he has authored a downloadable publication on climate change and Alabama.

NWS reported that Huntsville’s July average temperature, 84.2 degrees F, was the hottest July in the record books edging out 83.9 degrees F in July 1930, though still below the Augusts of 2007 and 2010. But Dr. Christy says the added infrastructure around the airport, including construction of the second largest runway in the Southeast at 12,600 feet long, creates a possible heat island effect that is the cause for the higher readings.

“It was hot, no argument there, but the hottest? Let’s take a look at the situation,” Dr. Christy says.

“A few years ago, I noticed the readings from the airport station, KHSV, used for the ‘official’ observations reported here, seemed hotter than those reported by surrounding stations,” he says.

Dr. Christy says the KHSV thermometer began to indicate a shift to warmer temperatures sometime in 2007-2008.

“In the 10 years before 2007, KHSV’s July daily maximum temperatures were on average cooler than the surrounding stations by 1.1 degrees F. From 2008 to today, KHSV was suddenly 1.6 degrees F warmer than the others, a shift of almost 3 degrees F.”

He says the NWS noticed it, too.

“So, to satisfy our collective curiosities, the NWS technicians performed an extra calibration test and found the instruments at the airport were spot on. So, why the discrepancy with other stations?”

The airport’s west runway and associated taxiways were finished around the time the NWS’ temperature readings began to increase, according to Dr. Christy.

“All that concrete so close to the KHSV instruments had a predictable effect,” he says. “Summer temperatures were likely to be hotter, not because of the background climate, but because of the exceptional growth in infrastructure near the weather station, and that certainly seems to be the case.”

More evidence comes from nearby rural stations, Pryor Field, Belle Mina, Madison and Owens Crossroads, none of which saw their hottest July in 2022 even though their records are much shorter.

When it comes to daytime heat, Dr. Christy says that even with the extra 2-3 degrees F from the likely runway heating, July 2022 was an also-ran as 12 other Julys, seven Augusts, two Junes and a September were hotter.

“The punch that gave July the title of record warmth was the nighttime heat,” he says. “With a very humid month, the heat just couldn’t escape to space to cool the surface at night because water vapor is very efficient at preventing that.”

Only August 2010 tied this past July for warm nights, he says.

“But here again, there is more to the story. When infrastructure expands around a weather station, the daily low temperatures are actually affected more than the daytime highs. It’s complicated, but we have published several scientific papers on this phenomenon.”

Because of Huntsville’s expanding infrastructure, Dr. Christy says that nights have become warmer through the years.

“And, when you look at the long-term temperature record of summer daily high temperatures, Alabama – yes, the entire state – has been experiencing a downward trend, while the nights have shown warming,” he says. “So, the station has been influenced by more than just the natural fluctuations of climate.”

August 2007 was a year of harsh drought for the state and came in with an average Huntsville temperature of 85.7 degrees F for title of hottest month, well above July 2022, Dr. Christy says.

“August 2010 at 84.7 degrees F was hotter, too,” he says. “So, July 2022 was the hottest average temperature relative to other Julys at the airport station, but looking at the historical record more closely, at other nearby stations and considering the impact of airport growth, it should not be considered hottest in the climate-sense.”

(Courtesy of UAH)

Governments are promising to end fossil fuel use by 2050 or sooner. Fossil Future by Alex Epstein, founder of the Center for Industrial Progress, argues that this would be tragic. Contrary to conventional wisdom, he believes that expanding the use of fossil fuels is humanity’s only moral course.

I will detail the steps of Mr. Epstein’s argument shortly. Perhaps more is his analysis of standards of value. His standard, human flourishing, contrasts with the standard of minimizing human impact on the environment driving the campaign against fossil fuels.

The argument for fossil fuels has three parts. First, fossil fuels provide inexpensive energy, enabling us to perform inconceivably more work than with just human or animal power. Fossil fuels provide concentrated, on-demand, portable, and scalable energy, or energy we can build lives and an economy around. By contrast, wind and solar provide intermittent energy. And fossil fuels, which provide 80% of energy, have no substitutes in heavy transportation and heat generation.

Second, fossil fuels power climate mastery, making the Earth more livable for humans. We alter the environment in many ways to improve life, like draining swamps to control malaria. Climate mastery, epitomized by the Netherlands’ flood protection system, has reduced extreme weather fatalities per capita by 98% over the past century.

Finally, global warming will not overwhelm our fossil fuel-enabled climate mastery. Melting glaciers after the last Ice Age increased sea level by over 300 feet. Our ancestors, living at a subsistence level, survived. Irrigation, flood control, fertilizer and pesticides will control any impacts of warming. Climate change does not threaten human existence.

This is great news! Still, Fossil Future’s biggest contribution is discussing standards of value for energy. Mr. Epstein employs human flourishing, defined as, “increasing the ability of human beings to live long, healthy, fulfilling lives.” Human flourishing has experienced a true “hockey stick” takeoff over the past 250 years, powered by fossil fuels. Yet the framework also recognizes fossil fuels’ side effects, including air pollution and warming. Human flourishing requires a hospitable environment.

Leading environmentalists, Mr. Epstein argues, value minimizing the impact of humans on the natural environment. Mr. Epstein interprets environmentalist writings within this anti-impact framework. Bill McKibben observes how altering the flow of water in a creek is wrong: “Instead of a world where rain had an independent and mysterious existence, the rain had become a subset of human activity.” Yet undisturbed nature includes disease, droughts, and extreme weather.

The anti-impact framework is ultimately anti-life. Extreme charges should not be made casually, and Mr. Epstein proceeds carefully here. Consider this review of Mr. McKibben’s The End of Nature: “Until such time as Homo sapiens should decide to rejoin nature, some of us can only hope for the right virus to come along.”

If you think Mr. Epstein exaggerates, how would you greet a source of cheap energy without pollution or warming side effects? In the late 1980s, a reported breakthrough on nuclear fusion offered just this. And leading environmentalists’ reactions: “disastrous,” “the worst thing that could happen to our planet,” and “like giving a machine gun to an idiot child.”

Vague slogans like, “going green,” “protecting the environment” or “saving the planet” gloss over the anti-life aspect of anti-impact. Most people like polar bears and consequently support action against climate change.

Standards of value matter immensely. Under human flourishing, humanity-enhancing impact is moral. Under the anti-impact standard, any impact of energy use is immoral. And this ultimately drives climate change’s “existential threat” label. Human-caused warming is immoral and unacceptable regardless of whether it hurts us.

Recognizing the anti-impact framework rationalizes some otherwise contradictory policies. Hydro and nuclear power offer electricity without carbon emissions. But they impact the environment and therefore are not green. Reducing human impact, not saving humanity, is the goal.

We cannot hope to feed eight billion people without fossil fuels. Ending fossil fuel use by mid-century will impoverish America and condemn millions to energy poverty and ultimately likely starvation. If people read and engage Alex Epstein’s arguments, perhaps we can ensure an empowered life for every human.

Daniel Sutter is the Charles G. Koch Professor of Economics with the Manuel H. Johnson Center for Political Economy at Troy University and host of Econversations on TrojanVision. The opinions expressed in this column are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the views of Troy University.

President Joe Biden on Wednesday announced that he would bypass Congress and take executive action over what he termed “a climate crisis.”

Alabama Public Service Commission President Twinkle Cavanaugh denounced the 79-year-old president’s plan in comments to Yellowhammer News.

“This shows a complete lack of understanding for what matters to American families, right now,” Cavanaugh explained. “The country is suffering under historically high gas prices and inflation. He created these problems, but he only wants to make them worse with more Green New Deal mandates. He’s clueless.”

Cavanaugh noted that Biden has been on track to make energy more expensive from the beginning of his administration, so Biden’s most recent announcement was not a surprise to her.

“Biden has been trying to disrupt our energy economy starting on his first day in office,” she said. “On day one he canceled the Keystone Pipeline. Not only did this kill more than 30,000 jobs but it has made transporting oil and natural gas more expensive.”

Cavanaugh pointed out that the actions of the Biden administration have had a far-reaching impact on consumers.

“His catering to environmental lobbyists and climate socialists has been terrible for Alabama families,” she asserted. “It costs far more to drive to work or cool your house now because of Biden caving to these liberal special interest groups.”

And her office has had to deal with the fallout.

“The Biden economy has made everything more expensive, including the fuel used to produce energy,” explained Cavanaugh. “The cost of natural gas has more than tripled under Joe Biden after being as low as $2.00 per MMbtu under President Trump.”

This has caused the Alabama Public Service Commission to make a recent adjustment to reflect this increase in the cost of fuel to produce electricity.

“Fuel is a pass-through expense which rises and falls according to the market cost,” said Cavanaugh. “Alabama Power is not allowed profit from the cost of fuel, but we had to adjust those costs upward. The reality is that the Biden economy has made the cost of doing business more expensive for virtually every company in the country.”

Under the current trajectory of Biden’s energy economy, there is only one outcome, according to Cavanaugh.

“His energy policy is driving our country off a cliff,” she said. “He must be stopped.”

In one of the final decisions of a momentous term, the Supreme Court halted the replacement of coal-fired power plants in West Virginia v. EPA. The decision constitutes a major victory for representative government.

Several states and power companies challenged the EPA’s 2015 Clean Power Plan (CPP), which was forcing the early retirement of coal-fired plants. The story starts in 2009 with President Obama’s “cap-and-trade” legislation for the electric power industry to fight climate change. After failing in the Senate, President Obama directed the EPA to enact cap-and-trade via regulation.

To do so, the EPA changed the meaning of pollution control technology in the Clean Air Act. Previously pollution control meant plants could still operate with emissions-reducing measures; EPA sought to replace plants with facilities emitting less carbon dioxide. The court ruled that the Clean Air Act did not give the EPA authority to restructure the electricity industry. Such action would be a “major power.” Here is the Congressional Research Service’s description of the “major power doctrine”: “The Supreme Court has declared that if an agency seeks to decide an issue of major national significance, its action must be supported by clear statutory authorization.”

I completely agree with this philosophy. Legitimate government rests on the consent of the governed. Meaningful consent must be tangible and closely tied to the government power in question. A dictator can always claim popular consent, with the secret police generating displays of support.

In America, consent comes from our elected representatives passing legislation. Reinterpreting existing laws to grant new authority is dictatorial. The same government philosophy justified the Centers for Disease Control claiming control over rental housing for its eviction moratorium.

Even considering the big picture – climate change – I see the Supreme Court as correct. The Clean Air Act dealt with pollutants directly causing harm; smokestacks and auto tailpipes putting out chemicals producing smog. The link between carbon dioxide emissions today and climate changes decades from now is indirect and almost entirely (and necessarily) based on computer models. Climate change differs enough from smog to require separate consent from the people.

Blue state liberals do not see it this way. Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren said, “Our planet is on fire, and this extremist Supreme Court has destroyed the federal government’s ability to fight back. This radical Supreme Court is increasingly facing a legitimacy crisis, and we can’t let them have the last word.”

This is nonsense. The court did not say Washington could not reduce greenhouse gases or close coal-fired power plants, only that Congress must authorize this. If most Americans truly believe that climate change is an existential threat, the House and Senate should be able to pass legislation, even over a Senate filibuster.

Discovering authorization for major policies through decades-old laws undermines self-governance and rejects the moral equality of the citizens of a free nation. Citizen participation in regulatory rulemaking is negligible. Proposed regulations have a public comment period and regulatory agencies must “respond” to comments. But agencies can proceed despite negative comments.

Citizens of a free nation should respect each other. A citizen unable to convince her fellow citizens through reasoned argument of the propriety of government action is obligated to respect this disagreement. Genuine consent must also be voluntary. Verbally abusing or firing dissenters from their jobs or censoring information violates genuine consent.

Enacting climate change policies in quasi-authoritarian fashion will almost certainly prove self-defeating. Reducing the future costs of global warming will require consistent application of policies for decades. Sustaining such policies over time requires the considered consent of most Americans.

Politicians who feel justified in imposing policies absent the genuine consent of the governed must, it seems to me, view themselves as superior to others. Their opinions count more than those of others and are never the ones in error. Elitist politicians should not govern a free country.

Daniel Sutter is the Charles G. Koch Professor of Economics with the Manuel H. Johnson Center for Political Economy at Troy University and host of Econversations on TrojanVision. The opinions expressed in this column are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the views of Troy University.

A research paper finding a significant global warming bias in climate models that was co-authored by the interim vice president for research and economic development at the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) has been cited by John Wiley & Sons Inc. as a top 10 download over the past 12 months in the American Geophysical Union (AGU) Earth and Space Science journal.

The paper was previously cited in 2021 as among the 10% most downloaded from the AGU journal in 2020.

“So, what drives the interest here is the incessant drumbeat of climate doom and gloom based on model forecasts, and the corresponding political reactions that create for us challenges like $100 per fill-up and attendant price increases – and some scarcity – for everything else,” says Dr. John Christy, who is also a distinguished professor of atmospheric science, Alabama’s state climatologist and the director of the Earth System Science Center (ESSC) at UAH, a part of the University of Alabama System. “When an issue hits people squarely in the pocketbook, it becomes important.”

“Pervasive Warming Bias in CMIP6 Tropospheric Layers” was co-authored by Dr. Ross McKitrick, an econometrician at the University of Guelph in Guelph, Ontario, Canada.

“With the ubiquitous and dramatic claims regarding the climate change issue all around us, it was a simple idea that Ross and I had: let’s test some of those claims that are based on models,” Dr. Christy says. “In particular was this simple scientific question: How well do the climate models on which these scary claims are based actually perform in the real world?”

The scientists examined and updated historical data focusing on 1979-2014 from the newest Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Version 6 (CMIP6) climate model and found that what previously were excessive warming rates modeled only in the tropical troposphere are now being excessively modeled globally. All of their model runs warmed faster than observations in the lower troposphere and mid-troposphere, both in the tropics and globally.

They found that the temperature of the bulk atmosphere, as measured by satellites, is an ideal characteristic to monitor for the detection of climate change. As part of an ongoing joint project between UAH, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and NASA, Dr. Christy with ESSC principal research scientist Dr. Roy Spencer publish a monthly Global Temperature Report that uses data gathered by advanced microwave sounding units on NOAA, NASA and European satellites to produce temperature readings for almost all regions of the Earth.

“We tested the ability of climate models to reproduce what the real world has already experienced using a variable – the bulk atmospheric temperature – that is a basic metric of the climate system,” Dr. Christy says. “All models heated up the atmosphere much faster on average than did Mother Nature over the past 40-plus years.”

He says that the models, which are simply theoretical hypotheses that need testing, failed a significant test of their ability to represent the way the real world works.

“This tells us we shouldn’t have much confidence in their forecasts, since they weren’t able to characterize the past 40 years correctly,” Dr. Christy says.

A separate test indicates that the disparity still exists, Dr. Christy says.

“We actually ran the test through 2021 a little later and achieved the same result.”

(Courtesy of UAH)

Alabama State Climatologist Dr. John Christy has released a report that shows that increasing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere have had essentially no impact on the weather and climate in the state of Alabama.

His report, “A Practical Guide to Climate Change in Alabama” contains charts and graphic representations that demonstrate numerous and important climate variables for our state. The conclusion of his research is that the increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere have produced NO significant changes in Alabama’s climate variables.

Dr. Christy is one of the world’s leading authorities on global climate change and has compiled research on climate variables as part of a global database that he has broken down to take a closer look at those variables for the state of Alabama.

In addition to serving as the Alabama climatologist, Dr. Christy is the distinguished professor of Atmospheric Science and director of the Earth System Science Center at the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), a member of the University of Alabama System. Dr. Christy teamed with Dr. Roy W. Spencer (then a NASA scientist and now a principal research scientist at UAH) to develop a global temperature data set from microwave data observed from satellites beginning in 1979. For this achievement, the Christy-Spencer team was awarded NASA’s Medal for Exceptional Scientific Achievement in 1991. He has been called to testify before the U.S. Congress 20 times on climate change.

Dr. Christy said the word “practical” in the report’s title was used for a specific purpose.
“The word practical in the title of the booklet was used because of the dynamic and often over-hyped nature of the topic,” he said. “Few issues have been so politicized while simultaneously fraught with a lack of scientific understanding regarding the changes in our climate, whether it is in Alabama, the United States or on a global scale.” The information in this report is “practical,” i.e. it is real information based on real observations that are then useable by those looking to reduce risks related to climate variations and trends Dr. Christy added.

The report demonstrates that the latest theoretical climate model simulations have been unable to replicate the types of changes in climate variables that Alabama has experienced since the late 19th century, and so offer little guidance for the future. During the past half-century, Alabama’s sea level has risen at variable rates along the Gulf Coast with a reasonable estimate for the Alabama portion of a continued rate-of-rise of about 1 to 1.5 inch per decade.

Christy said any climate variable will show some type of change between different periods whether those periods are separated by weeks, months, years or millennia. He said knowing “why” such changes occur can’t really be solved (or predicted) because our climate system is an expression of two chaotic and turbulent fluids – the atmosphere and the ocean – which together can create an infinite variety of weather and climate patterns all on their own.

“Included in this report we demonstrate the lack of changes relative to greenhouse gas increases through charts and visual representations of variables in Alabama’s weather,” Dr. Christy said. He examined variables such as: Changes in temperature; changes in temperature extremes; temperature changes in the future; changes in precipitation; changes in precipitation extremes; changes in drought; changes in snowfall; changes in sea level; changes in hurricanes; and changes in tornadoes.

“This report provides a tour through the climate metrics that are of interest to Alabamians, displaying how they have varied and changed over time,” Dr. Christy said. “As indicated, there hasn’t been a detectable impact on these metrics from the extra greenhouse gases. These GHGs, for the foreseeable future, will continue to accumulate in the atmosphere as a result of energy production that allows human life to be sustained and to thrive – we just haven’t been able to detect with confidence their impact on climate in Alabama.”

Alabama Climate Practical Guide Hi Res by Yellowhammer News on Scribd

For more, read here.

Ray Garner is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News.

Every Republican member of Alabama’s congressional delegation voted against the Democrats’ $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives last week on a largely partisan basis by a 228-206 margin.

The bill, which had previously passed the U.S. Senate, was signed into law by President Joe Biden earlier this week.

According to U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Alabama will receive $5.2 billion over a five year period for state roads and bridges. However, the senator contended that Alabama and other states could have benefited from more funding appropriated toward hard infrastructure. He maintained that the hefty spending package only contained 10% funding for “true infrastructure” and further stated that it was not “even close to an infrastructure bill.”

When asked by Yellowhammer News during a Wednesday press call what Democrats’ true intentions were relating to the spending package, Tuberville indicated that the majority party’s prime concern was climate change rather than infrastructure.

“Here’s the deal – the number one priority for this administration is climate change,” advised Tuberville. “They said that’s our number one priority in this country. That’s not our number one problem. Our number one problem is helping the taxpayers in this country have a better life with the money they send up here to Washington, D.C. We squander money right and left.”

Alabama’s junior senator took note of Democratic leaders’ attendance at the recent United Nations Climate Change Summit in Glasgow, Scotland, which he deemed to be hypocritical due to the air travel they partook in to attend.

“They all flew over in these big jets and they’re screaming about climate change. Let’s help the people in this country. This is one of the biggest hypocrisies I’ve ever seen,” Tuberville declared. “Again, if we’re going to do it, let’s do it right – that’s my motto. Again, I’m proud for what we got but it’s not near enough and they’re acting like this is the best thing since sliced bread.”

Tuberville asserted that more work was needed to address the nation’s infrastructure woes and suggested that Democrats had taken a premature victory lap regarding the issue.

“And what this is going to do is [they’re] going to think ‘OK, we’ve appeased everybody across this country with a little bit with this infrastructure, and we’re not going to have to do anything else.’ Yes, we’re going to have to do more. This is not nearly enough to take care of the people in this country in terms of infrastructure,” the senator concluded.

Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL

In 2018, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change set a new goal to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. The costs and consequences of aggressive action against global warming basically exceed comprehension. Recent research in sustainability buttresses this point.

Estimates put the level of energy use “compatible with avoiding 1.5ºC of global warming without relying on negative emissions technology” at around 7,500 kilowatt-hours per person per year. Americans currently use more than 10 times this level, so our energy use would need to decline drastically.

A new paper in Global Environmental Change examines whether adequate quality of life is possible with low energy use. The research uses six quality of life measures from the World Bank: life expectation, food consumption, safe drinking water, safe sanitation, education and poverty. Acceptable levels of the six measures were specified. The 29 of 106 nations examined achieving all six life quality targets use at least double the sustainable energy threshold. (more…)

7. Vaccine skepticism impact could be racial 

• The vaccine rollout in the United States and Alabama continues as the number of coronavirus cases trends down, but some communities are still slow to jump on board with a vaccine.
• Hispanic and black communities are reportedly less likely to want the vaccine and less likely to be receiving the vaccine. In Alabama, Tuskegee residents appear to be subjects of repeated stories of vaccine skepticism because of an unethical experiment on black men in the area with syphilis who had medical treatment withheld. 

6. Coronavirus stimulus movement (more…)

7. Board of Pardons looking to cut down on backlog

• The Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles has decided to include additional days to their meeting times so that they can cut down on the backlog of parole requests. They will only consider special dockets for pardons on these days, however.
• Cam Ward, the Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles director, has said that they “want to make sure everyone who is eligible for a pardon hearing is receiving a hearing in the most efficient way.” The backlog currently consists of about 8,500 requests.

6. Cuomo’s failure was even worse in NY (more…)

7. Biden and Buttigieg might make a trip to the Gulf Coast

• Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and President Joe Biden will likely make a trip to the Gulf Coast to review the Amtrak rail that would be from Mobile to New Orleans, which Buttigieg said he was interested in last week.
• Stephen McNair, a member of the Southern Rail Commission, said that Buttigieg mentioning the rail during his confirmation hearing “can’t be overstated.” Those in favor of the Amtrak plan are hoping that the full study to evaluate costs and potential impact on freight lines will be completed by Buttigieg’s visit.

6. Ivey goes out to see the damage, talks to Biden (more…)

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Wednesday publicly declared that climate change is “a national security issue,” saying the Pentagon would begin comprehensively factoring in the issue in its decision making.

Austin released a written statement following a press conference held at the White House featuring new Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry and National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy, as well as President Joe Biden signing an executive order on climate change.

Speaking to the media from the State Dining Room, Biden announced McCarthy would also be leading the White House Office of Domestic Climate Policy, which is being newly created by his executive order.

“As the head of the new office and my National Climate Advisor, Gina will chair a National Climate Task Force, made up of many members of our Cabinet, to deliver a whole-of-government approach to the climate crisis,” Biden remarked. (more…)

U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-AL) on Wednesday praised China, which is by far the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitter.

Not only is China responsible for the most emissions by a wide margin, the country’s emissions are continuing to grow. Even under the country’s most ambitious timeline unveiled last month in a video address by Chinese President Xi Jinping to the UN General Assembly, China’s emissions would not even be pledged to peak until around 2030.

Skeptics believe that China may either not actually intend to meet its promises at all or might define goals in a misleading way, such as a deadline of 2060 to supposedly be carbon neutral. Li Shuo of Greenpeace has advised that Jinping is simply interested “in leveraging the climate agenda for geopolitical purposes.”

Current projections by Climate Action Tracker show that China’s actions on climate change are “insufficient” and that Chinese efforts are estimated to actually be categorized as “highly insufficient” within the next five years. These ratings are assigned in terms of the country’s role in meeting the overarching goals of the Paris Climate Accord, of which China is a signatory. (more…)

7. Auburn alumni are important for Alabama’s economy

• A study conducted by the Economic Research Services, Inc. and Auburn’s Division of University Outreach has released data that shows Auburn University alumni contribute $5.6 billion to Alabama’s economy annually.
• A press release from Auburn University stated that the $5.6 billion “marks a 4 percent increase from a 2017 study conducted by University Outreach.” The impact of Auburn is also responsible for creating almost 27,000 jobs.

6. Biden is coming to Alabama (more…)

7. Prescription prices hurt Alabamians

• AARP Alabama has released new data that shows 35% of Alabamians stopped using prescription drugs due to high prices and people with cancer, heart disease and prediabetes or diabetes were of those more likely to be unable to afford their prescriptions.
• AARP Alabama State Director Candi Williams said, “While prescription drug prices continue to skyrocket, Americans are being forced to choose between filling life-saving medications or paying rent and buying food.” According to figures provided by AARP, between 2012-2017 the price of prescriptions used to treat cancer, diabetes and heart disease all nearly doubled in price.

6. Eight-week abortion ban blocked (more…)