The power of the purse goes so far

Dec 09, 2022 View in browser   By Debra Kahn THE WEEK THAT WAS Carter's recycled-paper push paved the way for Biden's green federal procurement rules. | Mark Humphrey/AP Photo President Joe Biden's efforts this week to decarbonize federal buildings are part of a grand tradition of administrations using their purchasing power for environmental ends. "The future of construction is clean," White House Federal Chief Sustainability Officer Andrew Mayock said in a statement supporting energy and climate standards for existing federal buildings and proposed emissions-reduction rules for new or renovated buildings, as Corbin Hiar and Kelsey Brugger report for POLITICO's E&E News. Jimmy Carter is thought to have been the first president to try to green federal spending, with his directive to the General Services Administration to "revise its paper-product specifications to encourage the purchase of more recycled paper." That got government recycled-paper purchases to 12 percent by 1992. Bill Clinton tackled paper more effectively with an executive order in 1998 that set minimum environmental standards for "purchasing or causing the purchase of printing and writing paper." The order "stabilized market standards" and reduced the cost for recycled paper, which convinced large corporations and private universities to make the switch, E – The Environmental Magazine reported at the time . By 1998, 98 percent of government-bought paper contained at least 30 percent recycled content. Subsequent administrations have used federal procurement powers to promote everything from energy-efficient appliances to environmentally friendly cleaning products . But (there's always a but): Steel and cement are different. Despite federal spending accounting for 29 percent of GDP, the government is a relatively minor consumer of certain industrial goods, such as the pliable sheet steel used to make auto bodies. That's where the private sector needs to come in. Another but: These types of policies are vulnerable to political winds. President Donald Trump revoked President Barack Obama's 2015 goal of deriving 25 percent of agencies' energy from clean sources, as E&E's David Iaconangelo notes . Industry is sounding a relatively committed note, though, partly because some states like New York and California have been paving the way with green construction-procurement standards. "Decarbonisation for our industry isn't some pipe dream — this is a reality," said Rick Bohan, the head of sustainability at the Portland Cement Association, an industry group. "This is going to happen, regardless of the administration." WASHINGTON WATCH NEW TRUISM — A municipal drinking water crisis must be in want of a lobbyist. The collapse of drinking water treatment systems in Jackson, Miss., earlier this year could require on the order of $1 billion to fix. It attracted the attention of one of K Street's most prominent firms, Squire Patton Boggs, which proposed representing the city before Congress and the Biden administration, Kevin Bogardus and Hannah Northey write for POLITICO's E&E News. Squire Patton Boggs partner Rodney Slater identified potential federal funding streams for the city and touted the firm's ability to secure earmarks for local governments. "Squire Patton Boggs is also adept at crafting appropriations report language that directs funding in generic terms, but which, in actuality, only applies to one specific jurisdiction," Slater wrote in early September. Others have tried to help the city, too. Roosevelt "Trey" Daniels, CEO of the Daniels Group, a Houston-based political consulting and government affairs firm, emailed talking points to Jackson city officials in September, the day before a visit by EPA Administrator Michael Regan. Daniels said he's a longtime acquaintance of Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba and wasn't angling for business, just providing advice. "There is a lot of money coming down the pipeline," Daniels said. "I'm sure people are interested in conducting business with Jackson." AROUND THE WORLD CURBING CORPORATE COPS — Democratic senators are raising concerns about corporate influence on U.N. climate talks. Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, Ben Cardin of Maryland and Ed Markey of Massachusetts wrote a letter to U.N. officials arguing that big businesses should have to "disclose an audited corporate climate political influencing statement" before they are allowed to set up a pavilion or formally sponsor an event. The requirement would "bring much-needed transparency to corporate climate-related political influencing activities around the world, and would help restore public faith that the COP process is not being abused by companies as an opportunity to greenwash," they said. Read more from Corbin and Nick Sobczyk. WORKPLACE GROWING PAINS — The abrupt departure of climate editor Bill Spindle from the news startup Semafor has put a spotlight on oil and gas industry advertising in environmental media, Corbin writes . Spindle, who had led Semafor's climate coverage since the online news outlet launched two months ago, suggested that his exit was driven in part by the appearance of digital advertisements for the oil company Chevron Corp, within his stories on climate change. He said in a tweet thread that the ads were inappropriate and raised "the specter of improper influence, perceived and real." The precise circumstances behind Spindle's exit are unclear. A spokesperson for Semafor, Meera Pattni, suggested that there were tensions beyond Spindle's concerns about advertising. "We decided to part ways with Bill due to issues that were unrelated to any advertising partnerships," she said in an email. "Semafor adheres to robust ad acceptability guidelines that we stand by, and that are industry standard." But some scholars argue that the incident should prompt reflection in newsrooms about their business models. Sean Holman , a professor of environmental and climate journalism at Canada's University of Victoria, suggested that society should consider "alternative models of funding the news media that are disconnected from advertising." YOU TELL US Happy Friday! Are your offices going back to in-person holiday parties this year? Let us know. Team Sustainability is editor Greg Mott , deputy editor Debra Kahn , and reporters Jordan Wolman and Allison Prang. Reach us at gmott@politico.com , dkahn@politico.com , jwolman@politico.com and aprang@politico.com . Want more? You can have it. Sign up for the Long Game . Four days a week and still free. That's sustainability! WHAT WE'RE CLICKING — A report from the American Water Works Association that says we need to "reframe the value of water to reflect the need to prepare for a sustainable future." – Workers at an Ohio plant that makes EV batteries for General Motors have voted to unionize in a landmark step for organized labor, the Washington Post reports . — North Texas is getting a big renewable energy investment in the form of a $4 billion green hydrogen factory, according to the Wall Street Journal . — Colgate spent years developing a recyclable toothpaste tube. The hard part is persuading recycling centers to take it, Bloomberg reports.   Follow us on Twitter Debra Kahn @debra_kahn Greg Mott @gwmott Jordan Wolman @jordanwolman Allison Prang @AllisonPrang   Follow us

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