GANA Perspectives

GANA: Energy
The Return of GHG Regulations
by Bill Yanek
 

In Dallas at the GANA Fall Conference September 8-10th, the Glass Association of North America’s (GANA) Flat Glass Manufacturing Division Climate Change Committee will continue its efforts at making the case for special flat glass industry consideration during the full division meeting. For review, the case in short is:

• The flat glass industry is energy intensive;

• Despite recent improvements in reducing emissions, the technology to make dramatic further improvements is not on the horizon;

• Flat glass is critical to achieving greater energy efficiency in buildings and automobiles; and

• Flat glass is also vital to the solar power industry.

THE NEXT SHOE DROPS
In July, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) to address carbon emissions. The proposed regulation would use provisions of the Clean Air Act (CAA) to regulate carbon emissions. It is expected that this ANPR will solicit comments to lay the groundwork for the carbon debate during the next administration. Couple the EPA announcement with Senators John McCain and Barack Obama’s support of a cap-and-trade system that would set limits on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and you have the makings for both legislative and regulatory efforts at curbing GHG emissions in 2009 (see August 2008 USGlass, page 12, for more information).

GHG SUPPORT REMAINS
In early August, The Politico reported that although legislative efforts at GHG regulation stalled in 2008, activists supporting the most extreme efforts at regulating GHG emissions are retooling the message for 2009.

“The problems with energy prices have really happened in the last few months,” Sierra Club global warming lobbyist Dave Hamilton said in the report. “We somehow failed in making that a priority, and I think we have a huge amount [of work] to do on energy policy.”

The point is that GHG regulation will be back in 2009. Activist groups that support the most extreme regimes of GHG regulation are reframing their message in ways that will be able to withstand continued high fuel costs.

How can our industry act?
• Keep up-to-date on the energy issue by visiting GANA: Energy at www.glasswebsite.com/energy;

• Contact GANA if you are interested in getting involved on GANA: Energy issues; and

• Plan to attend GANA’s Glass Week and the Building Envelope Contractors

Conference in February 2009. GANA is assembling a program that will include top glass industry executives and national caliber energy advocacy speakers that are sure to entertain, educate and motivate.

USG
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