Daily on Energy: Did Lamar Smith just outline a Republican climate plan?

First House hearing on geo-engineering: Smith’s committee held a rare joint subcommittee hearing on the technology Wednesday morning.

Positive effects: Smith said the technology “could have positive effects on the Earth’s atmosphere,” including the reduction of greenhouse gases blamed for warming the Earth. He explained that one of the engineering techniques, called “solar radiation management,” would seed clouds with aerosols to reflect sunlight and reduce temperatures. But there may be risks to the using the technology, and “we have a lot to learn.”

Cheaper than regulation: Although the technology is still being evaluated, he said it could be “a cheaper cost” solution than regulation.

Climate is changing: “As the climate continues to change, geo-engineering could become a tool to curb resulting impacts,” Smith said. “Instead of forcing unworkable and costly government mandates on the American people, we should look to technology and innovation to lead the way to address climate change.”

Smith recently announced he would be retiring from the House in 2018. Environmental activists cheered his departure as a boon to climate science after years of leading the House science committee.

Keeping score: Three GOP senators, all on the tax-writing Senate Finance Committee , have said they oppose changes to the wind tax credit.

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, a key supporter of wind because his state produces a lot of it, said last week he opposes the House proposal. Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., also says he supports keeping the tax break as it is.

Republicans have a 52-48 majority in the Senate.

House slashes into wind: Last week, House Republicans introduced a tax reform bill that would cut the wind production tax credit by one-third

The bill would trim the wind industry’s 2.3-cent-per-kilowatt hour tax credit to 1.5 cents.

Wind industry pushes back: The wind industry says the proposal would disrupt investment planning because producers have been preparing for a phaseout of the tax credit over five years, as Congress agreed to in a bipartisan 2015 agreement.

Under that deal, the wind credit expires in 2020 and the solar industry’s credit ends in 2022.

Best bet: The Senate would maintain the tax credit, bowing to the reality that many red states are relying on wind power for a greater share of the energy mix.

Support for RFS: Kathleen Hartnett White, Trump’s pick to lead the Council on Environmental Quality, told the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee that she supports the EPA’s Renewable Fuel Standard, which requires increasing amounts of ethanol and other biofuels be blended into the nation’s fuel supply. She once wanted to repeal the regulation, referring to it as “counterproductive and ethically dubious.”

In her confirmation hearing, White said she “solidly” supports the program and would “uphold” it.

“I salute the [ethanol] industry,” White said. “An industry like ethanol has contributed to giving new life to families in once vibrant small towns.”

Her views on the RFS will be crucial in determining whether she can advance through the committee. Republican Sens. Deb Fischer and Joni Ernst have said they are wary of White’s views on the biofuel mandate, and just one GOP defection would block her nomination in committee.

History of controversial statements: White has said that “carbon dioxide is not a pollutant” and once referred to former President Barack Obama’s climate change policies as “deluded and illegitimate.” She also has said that those who believe in climate change follow a  “kind of paganism” for “secular elites.”

Those are disqualifying comments, said Sen. Tom Carper of Delaware, the top Democrat on the committee.

‘Disdain for science: “Ms. White has shown a disdain for science, disregard for laws and regulations already on books, and a staggering disrespect for people who have views with which she disagrees,” Carper said in his opening statement, calling her a “science denier.”

White countered Wednesday morning that her comments were “taken out of context.”

What White would do: White is former chairwoman of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality who works at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, a conservative think tank that has received funding from Koch Industries, Exxon Mobil, Chevron and other energy companies.

The Council on Environmental Quality coordinates environmental policy at the White House. White would be in charge of implementing Trump executive orders on energy and the environment.

Democrats take softer touch: Wheeler is a familiar face to the committee, having worked on the staff of Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., a committee member and former chairman. Democrats seemed to give deference to their familiarity with Wheeler.

“He did prove to be one with whom we were able to work together on policies that we all agree on,” Carper said.

Ties to ‘polarizing’ coal giant: Carper said he was concerned that Wheeler is a former registered lobbyist for Murray Energy, the nation’s largest privately owned coal company whose outspoken CEO, Bob Murray, is an ally of the Trump administration. Wheeler de-registered himself as a Murray lobbyist in an Aug. 11 filing with Congress.

“Given the polarizing nature of Scott Pruitt’s EPA, as well as the polarizing nature of one of Wheeler’s long-time clients, Bob Murray, I’m anxious to hear whether he can assure members his confirmation would not be a more of the same approach at the agency,” Carper said.

Backing RFS: Wheeler also vowed to maintain the Renewable Fuel Standard.

“The RFS is the law of the land,” he said. “I fully support the program and the intent of the program.”

Scalise’s vision: A fully fleshed out version of the bill was introduced Friday House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., Natural Resources Chairman Rob Bishop, R-Utah, and two Democrats from Texas, Reps. Henry Cuellar and Vicente González.

Energy dominance: “The Secure American Energy Act provides a multifaceted approach to improving access and management of our nation’s valuable energy sources,” Rep. Paul Gosar, the chairman of the Energy and Mineral Resources subcommittee, said Tuesday at a hearing addressing the bill.

Onshore and offshore: While the bill provides necessary changes for permitting drilling and other energy activities on public lands, it also looks to create incentives for renewable and oil production from the Atlantic coastal states to Alaska.

Raise the alarm: “We are alarmed at the signal this sends about the EPA’s willingness to seek out objective, independent scientific expertise in fulfilling its mandate to protect its environment,” the letter stated.

An unnecessary limitation on science: Withholding the top experts in their fields from participating on EPA advisory boards, such as the Scientific Advisory Board and others, is an “arbitrary and unnecessary limitation” that the House members would like to see Pruitt reverse.

‘Monopoly does not work’: “The past has shown us a single, state-owned monopoly does not work,” Natalie Jaresko, the executive director of the financial oversight board, told the House Natural Resources Committee.

Jaresko, in a hearing about Puerto Rico’s recovery from Hurricane Maria, said the board is considering privatization “as one of our options” to improve the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority, or PREPA.

PREPA problems: PREPA contributes $9 billion to Puerto Rico’s $73 billion debt load and is under fire for signing a since-canceled contract with a Whitefish Energy, small Montana-based firm, to restore power on the island.

Whole new grid: Noel Zalmot, the financial oversight board’s emergency manager pending approval by a federal court next week, said Tuesday that Puerto Rico’s energy infrastructure requires a “wholesale reimagining of the grid” that includes a mix of federal and private funding.

He told the committee the oversight board plans to announce a “transformation plan” for the grid by mid-December, which will include cost estimates. He could not provide to lawmakers Tuesday the financial damage to the grid.

Zamot has indicated he’s open to privatization and suggested it could be part of the solution.

Limit fuel shipping costs: “Any measures that Congress takes to ensure the cost of shipping fuels to Puerto Rico is reduced is a positive step towards rebuilding the economy,” Zamot said.

Zamot was responding to questions from some Republicans on the Natural Resources Committee who said the Jones Act had exacerbated fuel shortages in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria.

Mr. Jones and me: Enacted in 1920, the Jones Act prohibits tankers from hauling oil between U.S. ports unless those vessels are American-made, flagged and manned by a crew that is 75 percent U.S. citizens.

The Trump administration, after some delay, temporarily waived the shipping law on Sept. 28 to fulfill fuel needs on the island. Waiving the law allowed any ship to help get supplies to the island.

‘Farce’: At least two lawmakers at Tuesday’s hearing said the Jones Act does not present a problem for Puerto Rico. “I am not sure I believe the Jones Act is really a problem,” said Rep. Alan Lowenthal, D-Calif.

Rep. Garret Graves, R-La., said only one vessel took advantage of the waiver for Puerto Rico.

“This entire thing is a farce,” he said.

Trump’s ‘special status’: “The United States have a bit of a special status for that summit,” an official representing Macron said, explaining that only countries that have committed to implementing the 2015 Paris climate change agreement have been invited.

Invited, or not to invite?: But the French Embassy quickly countered the reports, with spokeswoman Emmanuelle Lachaussée telling the Washington Examiner that “President Trump has not been invited yet, but all the invitations have not been sent yet, so the U.S. are not the only one in this position.”

She said she was positive that the U.S. “will receive an invitation after COP23 to be represented at the [Dec. 12] summit at the level of its choice.”