The Economic Case for Restoring Coastal Ecosystems

As America’s coastal cities expanded throughout the 19th century, the wetlands were often considered a nuisance that stood in the way of progress and development. We are increasingly learning the cost of losing landscapes once thought to be valueless. Investing in coastal restoration is good policy. It is not just the right thing to do for the environment; it is the right thing to do for coastal communities, vulnerable coastal populations, and the U.S. economy. In the words of former NOAA Chief Economist Dr. Linwood Pendleton, “restoring degraded marine and coastal habitat is critical if America’s coasts and oceans are to reach their economic and ecological potential.”

Norton, Regas Join Nicholas Institute Board of Advisors

Duke University’s Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions appointed two new members to its Board of Advisors: Edward Norton and Diane Regas. Norton, senior advisor of TPG Capital, and Regas, senior vice president for programs at the Environmental Defense Fund, will serve three-year terms on the Nicholas Institute’s board.

Stacking Trash Threatens Indonesian Coastal

Linwood Pendleton explains in Harian Terbit that pollution and waste is a major problem faced by coastal areas. A senior scholar at the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions, Pendleton is meeting with Indonesian people across Java, Kalimantan, Sumatera, and Sulawesi to share perspectives on coastal conservation through the Embassy of the United States Jakarta-Indonesia U.S. Speaker and Specialist Program. 

Researchers Remind Big Potential in the Coastal Zone Indonesia

Indonesian Coastal Area has a High Potential

Senior researcher for ocean and coastal policy at Duke University Linwood Pendleton said the Indonesian coastal areas have a high potential that needs to be preserved, in Antara News. Pendleton is meeting with Indonesian people across Java, Kalimantan, Sumatera, and Sulawesi to share perspectives on coastal conservation through the Embassy of the United States Jakarta-Indonesia U.S. Speaker and Specialist Program in April. 

NC Fracking Commission Reviews 48 Safety Rules in Fast-Paced Meeting

The state commission that’s creating safety standards for fracking raced through 48 rules Wednesday under a legislative deadline to prepare North Carolina for shale gas exploration by next spring. Amy Pickle, State Policy Program director and Mining and Energy Commission member, comments in this News & Observer article.

Pa. asks EPA for more Flexible Emissions and Trading Rules to Boost Power Plants' Energy Efficiency ($)

Pennsylvania's top air regulator has proposed a potential solution to long-standing legal tension that can make energy efficiency a less attractive option for power plants. New Source Review (NSR), a section in the Clean Air Act that sets limits for criteria pollutants (carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, ozone and lead), has long been viewed as an impediment to efficiency investments. When a source emits too much pollution, it triggers permitting requirements under NSR.

News Tip: Energy Experts Available to Comment on Annual Energy Outlook 2014

On Monday, April 7, the U.S. Energy Information Administration will begin the staged release of the complete Annual Energy Outlook 2014.

Cleaning Dirty Gas Enabling CO2 Sales to Dirtier Oil Producers

Tim Profeta, director of the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions, tells Bloomberg that the U.S. natural gas boom can go two ways in the next decade. “These 10 years will be our enemy if we only think about cheap gas and stop investing in low-carbon technology,” he said. “These 10 years will be our friend if we use them wisely.”

White House Plans to Patch Methane Leaks, but Uncertainty and Opposition Exist ($)

The Obama administration's effort to plug the nation's methane leaks has rekindled the debate about the role of natural gas in national climate policy, with most environmentalists applauding the effort, while others describe it as an empty promise. Brian Murray, director for economic analysis at the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions, comments in this ClimateWire article.