In this episode, I interview Alan Gelder of Wood Mackenzie, who recently conducted a study on the potential impact of climate change legislation on refiners.

Use the audio player below to listen to the conversation and follow along with the show notes. I hope you find the podcast informative.

Show Notes:

00:17 Much of the political discussion in Washington these days involves the climate bills being considered in Congress. Multiple studies suggest that the cost of the bills could be enormous, especially for the refining industry. A recent study was conducted on the potential impact of climate change legislation on refiners.

00:54 The independent study is part of Wood Mackenzie's ongoing research analysis of the energy sector and was not commissioned by any part... more »

House and Senate leaders are continuing to push for climate legislation despite the fact that far fewer people believe that global warming is a serious problem, according to a new survey released today by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press. The survey, conducted among 1,500 adults from Sept. 30-Oct. 4, shows that 35 percent of respondents believe global warming is very serious as compared with 44 percent in April 2008.

Similarly, the new poll shows that 36 percent of Americans believe that global temperatures are linked to human activity, down from 47 percent last year.

The poll also indicates that few Americans are following the debate about the climate bills that are being considered in Congress. A majority (55 percent) said they had heard nothing about "cap and trade" po... more »

They wore hardhats and fluorescent orange safety vests, and their message was clear. These workers who demonstrated at yesterday's Energy Citizens rally in Anchorage, Alaska, want affordable energy and jobs.

These men and women are laborers and truckers who say they're worried about the potential impact of the Waxman-Markey climate bill. A new study shows the bill could have a particularly negative impact on Alaska, eliminating thousands of jobs and causing a financial burden on each household amounting to about $325 a month by 2030. They were joined at the Energy Citizens rally yesterday by seniors, veterans, energy workers and homemakers who want the U.S. Senate to reject the Waxman-Markey bill and craft something better.

Some of the truckers at the rally were from Carlile Transportatio... more »

The 49th state in the Union is marked by its uniqueness. Alaska is the largest of all 50 states. It is the only state where the sun doesn't set in summer and doesn't rise far above the horizon in the winter. It contains some of America's largest oil and natural gas deposits, many of which remain untapped. And its residents could be more affected by the Waxman-Markey climate bill than many other U.S. citizens.

As I've mentioned numerous times in this blog, the Waxman-Markey bill could sharply raise energy costs and kill jobs, according to studies. In Alaska, it also could have a severe impact on the purchasing power of each household, lowering it by as much as $3,890 a year by 2030.

To put that into perspective, that's about $325 a month out of the pockets of hard-working Americans who are... more »

If you ever want to see democracy in action, attend an Energy Citizens rally for jobs and affordable energy. Thursday, at the rally in Tampa, Florida, 175 people of all ages came together in hopes of sending a message to their elected officials in Tallahassee and Washington.

"Why are you here?" I asked several people as they entered the Old Ritz Theater in Tampa's Ybor City neighborhood.

The responses varied greatly from, "I'm here for my kids and grandkids," and "I'm a Marine and my father fought in World War II," to "We have to take action to save America." Some were members of Glen Beck's 9-12 organization that's planning a massive march in Washington.

Others were involved in the Tea Party movement. Some were hoping to convince Florida state officials to extend the state boundary fa... more »