Policy Topics

Energy and Environment

Showing 211 - 240 of 648 results

Student Working Papers

Comparing Public Opinion and Legislation on Fracking in Pennsylvania

May 1, 2020

Anya Satyawadi

In recent years, natural gas production has increased greatly in the United States. This is, in large part, because of an attempt to decrease dependence on foreign energy sources. With increased use of natural gas comes the use of hydraulic...

Student Working Papers

Zoning Codes and the Adoption of LEED in Michigan Cities

May 1, 2020

Michael Ngan

Because of an absence of federal policies in the US mandating green building certification, this paper aims to explore if local policy efforts can, as an alternative, effectively drive sustainable design and increase the number of green buildings....

Student Working Papers

Extended Producer Responsibility Implementation Differences between American and European Solar Waste Management Policies

May 1, 2020

Evan Stanton

This paper inventories American and European implementations of extended producer responsibility (EPR) solar waste management programs in order to understand the factors responsible for effective waste collection and successful collection financing...

Student Working Papers

Hurricane Sandy and Managed Retreat: Analyzing Natural Disasters’ Potential as Focusing Events

May 1, 2020

Emma Uebelhor

Scientists estimate that by 2050 rising sea levels will place over 800 million people around the world at risk for regular flooding events, infrastructure damage and, in some extreme cases, complete submersion. As a result, many communities...

Student Working Papers

Spearheading “Solar for All” in the Midwest: How Illinois passed legislation to incorporate solar energy in low-income and environmental justice communities

April 30, 2020

Olivia "Livvy" Hintz

As policymakers progress further into finding sustainable, renewable energy solutions for the United States, local and state governments have been fixating on solar power. The price of solar energy has dropped dramatically in recent years — but not...

Student Working Papers

Assessing the Social Dynamics of Wind Energy Sites to Predict Contention among Prospective Wind Projects in Michigan

January 1, 2020

Mayur Bandekar

Attitudes towards the implementation of renewable energy technologies vary in complexity as an increasing number of renewable projects are proposed in the United States and the rest of the world. These projects remain controversial, as proponents...

MPPS

Energy policies and environmental leadership among Michigan's local governments

January 1, 2020

This report presents information from Michigan local government officials regarding local energy issues and policies. In addition, the report looks at local officials’ opinions on environmental leadership in local government. These findings are...

Working Papers

Renewable Energy in the Cowboy State

January 1, 2020

Kseniya Husak*, Jackie Wrage*, Malika Begum*, University of Michigan

The cowboy state of Wyoming more than lives up to its reputation as a rugged, big, beautiful place. Between Yosemite in the West and vast prairies in the East, stupendous mineral deposits and an undeniable presence of grit as well as independence,...

Working Papers

Oregon: Landscape of Renewable Energy Policy

January 1, 2020

Emily Blackmer*, Katherine Cunningham*, Zoe Fullem*, University of Michigan

With valuable wind and solar energy resources, a history of ranking in the top states for hydroelectric power, and a governor focused on climate change action, Oregon is poised to continue to be a leader in renewable deployment. The current state of...

Working Papers

Renewable Energy Policy in Minnesota

January 1, 2020

Sharon Hu*, Sacha-Rose Phillips*, Samantha VanDyke*, University of Michigan

Minnesota is forward-thinking when it comes to renewable energy policy. The state boasts a decently aggressive renewable portfolio standard (RPS) and has democratic leadership that is leading Minnesota to a clean energy future. Robust policies are...

Working Papers

Renewable Energy in Iowa

January 1, 2020

Austin Glass*, Karl Hoesch*, Nocona Sanders*, University of Michigan

Iowa is located in both the geographic center of the United States and at center stage for the nation’s energy transition from fossil fuels to renewables. For the last three decades, Iowa has been a national leader in wind energy despite relatively...

Working Papers

California: Landscape of Renewable Energy Policy

January 1, 2020

Molly Blondell*, Akshat Kasliwal*, Doug Noe*, Owen Watson*, University of Michigan

Californians have a strong history of environmentalism and progressive energy policies, dating back to the days of the gold rush. Some have posited that Californians care so much about the environment because they have had so much to lose from its...

IEEP

Belief (and Disbelief) in Global Warming: 10 Years of Attitudes about Climate Change in the NSEE

October 1, 2019

Since 2008, the University of Michigan and Muhlenberg College have conducted the National Surveys on Energy and Environment (NSEE), a biannual national opinion survey on energy and climate policy. To celebrate the tenth anniversary of the survey,...

State and Local Energy Justice Programs

September 1, 2019

Sanya Carley, Caroline Engle, David Konisky, Savannah Sullivan

This policy brief introduces an inventory of 185 energy justice programs, policies, or organizations at the national, state, and local level in the United States. We identified these programs through an extensive search of social media,...

Addressing Equity with State-level Residential Solar Energy Policies

September 1, 2019

Tony Reames

To achieve parity in the benefits of solar energy, a growing number of states have developed policies and programs to address socioeconomic disparities by designating and targeting low- to moderate-income (LMI) households, as well as racial and...

Reconciling Renewable Energy and Farmland Preservation: An Inventory of State Land-Use Policies

September 1, 2019

Sarah Mills, Ian McKenny

Decarbonizing the electricity sector will require a shift in the geography of where our electricity is produced. Currently, most electricity comes from large, centralized fossil fuel and nuclear power plants sited in or near urban areas where much...

Taxing Flaring and the Politics of State Methane Policy

September 1, 2019

Barry Rabe, Claire Kaliban, Isabel Engelhart

This brief explores whether states with regulatory authority over oil and gas production include methane within their own established severance tax regimes. It acknowledges minimal published scholarship on this issue, aside from general discussion...

The Taxation of Wind Energy

September 1, 2019

Stephanie Leiser

The generation of energy from wind turbines is becoming increasingly common as utilities and consumers seek to integrate alternative energy sources into power grids. However, the complex economic aspects of wind energy, such as up-front capital...

IEEP

Adaptation, Mitigation, and Geoengineering: 10 Years of Climate Action in the NSEE

December 1, 2018

This report examines American attitudes on how to respond to climate change. We look at preferences for focusing on adaptation or mitigation efforts, and at Americans’ beliefs on whether efforts to prevent further climate change can actually be...

Working Papers

Dynamics of Climate Change Belief in Rural and Wind Turbine Communities

December 1, 2018

Rio Mizuno**

As the most suitable sites for wind energy development, rural areas are integral to the growth of the renewable energy sector in the U.S. A crucial aspect of siting decisions lies in the opinions of the local community, for which environmental...

IEEP

Findings from the Fall 2018 NSEE

November 1, 2018

The National Surveys on Energy and Environment (NSEE) is an on-going biannual national opinion survey on energy and climate policy from University of Michigan and Muhlenberg...

IEEP

Solar, Wind, and State Mandates: 10 Years of Renewable Energy in the NSEE

October 1, 2018

This report considers how American attitudes about renewable energy policies—and solar and wind energy, more specifically—have changed over the last decade. We use time-series data to consider shifts in support for state-level renewable energy...

IEEP

Fuel Economy, Electric Vehicle Rebates, and Gas Taxes: 10 Years of Transportation Policies in the NSEE

July 1, 2018

This report examines American attitudes about policies that could reduce emissions from the transportation sector. We use time-series data to consider shifts in support for policies that require auto makers to sell more fuel-efficient vehicles, and...

IEEP

As Americans Experienced the Warmest May on Record Their Acceptance of Global Warming Reaches a New High

July 1, 2018

Over the course of the last 10 years the National Surveys on Energy and the Environment (NSEE) has fielded 19 surveys in which Americans have been asked if they believe there is solid evidence of global warming. In the latest version of this ongoing...

IEEP

Federalism and California’s Role in Vehicle Emissions Standards

July 1, 2018

This paper and its analyses were commissioned in order to support a paper written by Barry G. Rabe for the Academy of Arts and Sciences Project on Durability and Adaptability in Energy Policy entitled “Leveraged Federalism and the Clean Air Act: The...

Student Working Papers

Analyzing the Evolution of the Renewable Portfolio Standard in the United States

June 1, 2018

Kyle Butler

Due to a lack of concerted federal action to promote renewable energy, understanding and evaluating the rigors of state-level energy policies such as renewable portfolio standards is of great importance. The literature on state renewable policies...

Student Working Papers

An Investigation of Solar Friendly Policies in American States’ Renewable Portfolio Standards

June 1, 2018

Will Horne

Solar power has historically been a high cost form of renewable energy. Other renewables like wind have dominated the market, leading to a lack of diversity within American states’ renewable portfolio standards (RPS). To combat this lack of...

Student Working Papers

Comparing What Triggered Renewable Energy Development in Jordan and Morocco

June 1, 2018

Tyler Coady

Despite lacking oil and gas resources and its accompanying wealth, Jordan and Morocco are leading renewable energy producers in the Middle East and North Africa. This research paper is a comparative case study that analyzes policy intent, policy...

Student Working Papers

Exploring Current Republican Senators’ Portrayal of Climate Change and Mitigation Policies

June 1, 2018

Madeline Carter

To evaluate current Republican views on climate, this study performs an inventory of all 51 US Republican senators’ official websites. It analyzes how each member speaks of "climate change" and "energy," which types of climate change mitigation...

Student Working Papers

Virginia’s Road to RGGI: A Case Study of State-Level Cap-and-Trade Adoption

June 1, 2018

Joe Cianciola

In the global fight against climate change, cap-and-trade programs remain one of the most effective means of greenhouse gas mitigation at policymakers’ disposal. Within the United States, several sub-national cap-and trade programs have emerged with...