Yet another reason why coal's not such a great bargain.

The Bipartisan Policy Center is out with a fascinating new study, “Reassessing Renewable Energy Subsidies.” According to the Center, although “renewable energy tax credits have been an enormously important mechanism for growing the industry,” there is “a large opportunity to make these mechanisms work better.”  The entire report is well worth reading, but here are a few key points:

When was the last time you read about a "solar spill" or a "wind disaster?" Never, obviously. How about oil? Watch this video and remind yourself what oil can do to the environment -- not to mention the economy, national security, etc.

According to the chart exhibited by Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA), the United States is "burning" through its oil reserves faster than any other nation in the world. According to the expert witnesses, this "burn rate" is not sustainable in the long run. Also, the OPEC countries are the ones who are benefiting the most, and will continue to benefit the most, from the rapid U.S. "burn rate."

The following is cross-posted from the Checks and Balances Project with permission.

Thursday, Doc Hastings is holding yet another, carefully scripted, incredibly slanted hearing to promote his position that the Department of the Interior should return to the rip-roarin’ land grab of the Bush era. The good ol’ days when oil and gas companies could snatch up millions of acres of public land for song – or a few beers, or some cocaine, etc. (*ed note – referring to the MMS employee scandal. see link for more details.)

Hastings has been pushing his pro-oil, pro-gas agenda since becoming chairman of the Natural Resources Committee in January. He’s turned ignoring facts in favor of rhetoric into something of an art form.

In one very telling – and a little funny – example, Hastings submitted an op-ed to The Hill in February. In his essay, he cited the words of Daniel Webster:

“It would be in our best interest to heed Daniel Webster’s words that are prominently inscribed on the walls of the House Chamber, ‘Let us develop the resources of our land … and see whether we also, in our day and generation, may not perform something worthy to be remembered.’”

The problem is that Hastings deprived Secretary Webster of his First Amendment Rights, because the full quote is:

Just a "heads up" about the new report by CleanEdge,  entitled, "Clean Energy Trends 2011."  A few highlights:

The following is a guest post by Sierra Club (Virginia chapter) Assistant Director J.R. Tolbert

In recent weeks turmoil in the Middle East has led to a spike in gasoline prices.  This spike in gasoline prices has led to a corresponding increase in the price of food.  As prices rise the United States is faced with yet another fork in the road moment.

We know that proponents of the fossil fuel industry will reuse the rallying cry of, "Drill Baby Drill." First, we must address the myth that more drilling will solve this problem.

By increasing domestic production of oil we would only be adding a very small amount of oil into the global marketplace.  Once America's oil goes onto the global marketplace it is just as likely to feed China's growing oil addiction as it is that of the United States.  Furthermore, there is not enough oil from America to make a dent large enough to truly bring down gasoline prices.  Most analysts agree that if the United States exploited the oil we have offshore that it would only decrease gasoline prices by about .02 cents, and that doesn't take effect for at least a decade.

So, what are we to do as a country?  How are we supposed to counter higher oil prices and protect our slow economic rebound?

All the "cornucopians" out there -- people like the New York Times' John Tierney who believe that we've got unlimited fossil fuels, and therefore that there's no reason to conserve or switch to clean, renewable energy - might want to read this report about Indian coal reserves.  In its own words, the paper "demolishes the myth held by many that India has coal in plenty. In reality, the situation is just the opposite."

The New York Times has an important story on natural gas fracking and the longstanding lack of government regulation over the industry. Here's an excerpt from the New York Times article:

If you haven't read it, we strongly recommend that you check out ThinkProgress' superb, two-part report on the dirty energy company, Koch Industries, and specifically how the company "makes billions by demanding bailouts and taxpayer subsidies."  Here's an excerpt from Part 1 of the ThinkProgress report.

We’ve written previously about Chevron’s “Human Energy” ad campaign. Now, Advertising Age is on the case; here’s their verdict: