Reviewing The Year's Top Energy Stories

Trying to bone up on federal energy regulation? AOL Energy’s “Politics Year In Review” article is a good place to start.
The post reviews this year’s major Washington, DC energy stories, including the Solyndra bankruptcy and  Keystone XL Pipeline debate.

Energy politics have been more partisan than ever this year.
Republicans have been consistently supporting incumbent fossil fuel electricity generators–nuclear, coal and natural gas–while Democrats have been vocally supporting emissions regulations, renewables loan guarantees and tax incentives as well as increased taxes on oil and gas companies.
President Obama has been treading cautiously between the two parties, claiming he is putting White House money behind renewables while continuing to issue offshore drilling permits, delaying this September the EPA’s Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards until a scheduled review in 2013, asking the State Department to wait till next year to decide on the construction of the controversial Keystone XL pipeline, and allowing a host of renewables tax credits to expire at the end of this year.
Several notable issues have become talking points for the two sides, each combining superficial analysis with overused talking points to accuse the other side of a corrupted approach to the industry.

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