Reckoning With Utilities’ Dirty Past

We’re doing a free live show from our homes! Sign up here to join us on Wednesday April 22nd. You can watch a behind-the-scenes recording with The Energy Gang and The Interchange. This week: The many ways that dirty energy has controlled the politics of clean energy. Dr. Leah Stokes, an expert on interest groups and their influence over policy, joins the gang. Her new book, Short Circuiting Policy, is the focus of our episode. Who are the truly bad actor utilities? How have they held back climate policy, and where would we be without their resistance? Suddenly, utilities are embracing much more ambitious carbon-free energy targets. How optimistic should we be about their intentions? We’ll talk about the history of clean energy politics detailed in Leah’s book, which she researched over a seven-year period. Then: the election. With Bernie Sanders out, what will his climate voters do? How long will they hold out, what influence do they have, and how will they wield it?  Recommended reading:Leah Stokes: Short Circuiting PolicyWashington Post: Elizabeth Warren says ‘government has been bought and paid for’ by big business. Political scientists say she’s got a point.Guardian: Trump Administration Declines to Strengthen U.S. Clean Air StandardsL.A. Times: Exposure to Air Pollution Linked to Higher Coronavirus Death RatesThe Atlantic: Trump’s New Auto Rollback is an Economic DisasterThe Atlantic: “We Knew They Had Cooked the Books”NYT: Coronavirus Does Not Slow Trump’s Regulatory RollbacksNYT: Trump’s Environmental Rollbacks Find Opposition Within: Staff ScientistsThe Hill: Democrat questions WH transparency in rollback of bedrock env lawInside Climate News: Joe Biden Must Convince Climate Voters He’s a True BelieverThe Hill: State of the Race: Green groups press Biden after Sanders exitsCommon Dreams: After Sanders Exits Race, Climate Campaigners Thank Him for 'Raising the Bar' and Urge Biden to 'Step Up'Guardian Opinion: Dear Joe Biden, Here is how you can earn our supportThis podcast is brought to you by CPower. CPower is offering a market-by-market analysis of the issues, trends, and regulations that organizations should understand in 2020 to make better decisions about energy. Get your copy today of the “2020 State of Demand-Side Energy Management in North America” here.