Debate Readings and Background

• Webmaster's Initial Summary (subject to correction)
  • Two Overarching Issues
    • Global warming thought to be caused by carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels
      • United States signed UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
      • It did not sign the Kyoto Protocol (an addendum), which required a reduction in carbon emissions by 37 developed countries, because of associated costs and the fact that developing countries were not included. Note that China and India, exempt from the Kyoto Protocol, are attributed with raising worldwide petroleum demand.
    • High price of foreign oil, especially in 2008, used for automobiles, trucks, and airplanes
  • Petroleum, natural gas and coal are fossil fuels
    • Primary source of automobile, electricity and heat in the United States
    • Concern 1: All three emit carbon dioxide/greenhouse gases, causing environmental change (natural gas is the cleanest)
    • Concern 2: U.S. is dependent on foreign oil (coal and natural gas supplies in the U.S. are good)
  • Automobiles
    • Biofuels are renewable but cause greenhouse gases
    • Hybrid technology (petroleum/electric battery) is interim technology
      • Electricity comes from NiMH battery recharged through braking, through plug-in with electrical outlet, and most recently a hydrogen mix
    • Current long-term focus is on electric car, possibly run by hydrogen fuel cells
      • Fuel cells convert hydrogen and oxygen into energy by chemical means
      • Current question is sufficient on-board storage of compressed hydrogen, although newer technologies being developed
      • Electric cars ultimately require electricity produced from an external power plant
  • Airplanes and trucks could use biodiesel, hybrid technology or fuel cells but research is just beginning
  • Electricity
    • Coal abundant but carbon dioxide emissions unless clean coal technology is developed
    • Geothermal, hydroelectric, hydrogen, nuclear, oceans, solar, and wind could be used to generate electricity with fewer emissions but have geographical limitations
  • Choices
    • High cost of research, conversion and infrastructure (hydrogen instead of gas pumps, buying new car and furnace) of renewable, non-polluting sources for the public, business, and government
    • Continued climate change if non-polluting energy sources not found
  • Is there another solution?

• CQ Researcher (UMich Only)
  • Each issue provides summaries of arguments for various debate topics
  • Energy Reports include renewable sources, nuclear garbage, coal, and conservation

• Debate Central (National Center for Policy Analysis)
  • Numerous articles on the main debate topic organized by subject, such as alternative and fossil fuels, market fluctuations, peak oil, incentives, pollution, and state counterplans
  • Includes a glossary of terms

• University of Michigan Course Reserves
  • Course reserve list at the Shapiro Undergraduate Library for the Summer 2008 debate institutes
  • Focus on global warming

Books

• MIRLYN
  • MIRLYN
  • Lists books within the University of Michigan Library system.
  • Searchable by author, title, subject, keyword, and call number

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS SUBJECT HEADINGS Controlled vocabulary Used for Foreign material When too many common keywords Find through LC Subject List (Library) Record retrieved through keyword searching

• Library of Congress Subject Headings: By Subject
  Carbon taxes
  Energy Star (Program)
  Alcohol as fuel [aka Ethanol]
  Petroleum refineries--Safety measures
  Energy conservation--Fuel consumption
  Global warming--Environmental aspects--Case studies

• Library of Congress Subject Headings: By Location
  Coal--Michigan
  Wind power--Hawaii
  Petroleum refineries--Iran
  Water-power--Niagra River (N.Y. and Ont.)
  Geothermal resources--California--Statistics--Periodicals
  Biomass energy--Government Policy--United States [aka biofuels]

Boolean Logic

• Keyword Searching

Illustration	MIRLYN	Proquest	JSTOR	LEXIS Academic	Engineering Index	Worldwide PoliSci Abstracts Earth and Environmental Sciences	Google
PHRASE	"climate change"	"climate change"	"climate change"	climate change	"climate change"	"climate change"	"climate change"
AND	gasoline and prices	gasoline and prices	gasoline and prices	gasoline and prices	gasoline and prices	gasoline and prices	gasoline prices
OR	ethanol or biodiesel	ethanol or biodiesel	ethanol or biodiesel	ethanol or biodiesel	ethanol or biodiesel	ethanol or biodiesel	ethanol or biodiesel
NOT	coal not anthracite	coal and not anthracite	coal not anthracite	coal and not anthracite	coal not anthracite	coal not anthracite	available in the advanced search interface
COMPLEX SEARCHING	"fossil fuels" not (coal or petroleum)	"fossil fuels" and not (coal or petroleum)	"fossil fuels" not (coal or petroleum)	"fossil fuels" and not (coal or petroleum)	"fossil fuels" not (coal or petroleum)	"fossil fuels" not (coal or petroleum)	available in the advanced search interface
TRUNCATION	hydroelectric?	hydroelectric*	hydroelectric?	hydroelectric!	hydroelectric*	hydroelectric*	not applicable

Additional Keyword Protocols

Periodical Indexes

	If an index does not have the full text of your article, use MGetIt button to link to the online journal text OR University of Michigan catalog for the paper copy call number OR Inter-Library Loan

• Congressional Research Service Reports via Open CRS
  • Full text of hundreds of current Library of Congress reports to Members of Congress
  • Reports known for their brief and targeted analysis of issues
  • Recent reports include Alternative Fuels and Advanced Technologies: Issues In Congress (2006); Selected Issues Related to an Expansion of the Renewable Fuel Standard (2007); Automobile and Light Truck Fuel Economy: The CAFE Standards (2007)
  • For CRS reports, 1990-2006, also see the University of North Texas CRS web site

• Earth and Environmental Sciences (CSA) UMich Only
  • Index to eight databases in the earth and environmental sciences: Conference Papers Index, Aqualine, Environmental Science & Pollution Management, GeoRef, GeoRef in Progress, Meteorological & Geoastrophysical Abstracts, NTIS, and TOXLINE
  • Many of the journal articles this lists will be available online; many of the technical reports will not
  • Sample Search: "clean coal" and "electric power"

• Energy Citations Database (DOE/OSTI)
  • Indexes 2.3 million technical reports since 1948 and provides the full text of 179,000 since 1994
  • Subjects include environment, engineering, geology and engineering
  • Created by the Dept of Energy Office of Science and Technical Information
  • Sample search: "fuel economy" and airlines
  • Search results provide an abstract in addition to full text links when available

• Engineering Index (Compendex) UMich Only
  • Indexes books, reports and journal articles since 1970 in Western European Languages
  • Subjects include automotive and aerospace engineering, petroleum, and transportation
  • Links to full texts of numerous articles
  • Sample Search: "hydrogen cars"

• Government Accountability Office Reports to Congress
  • Short, incisive reports to Congress on financial waste in the government
  • Often reports suggest new policy initiatives
  • SAMPLE SEARCH: "carbon tax"

• GreenFile
  • Indexes and abstracts over 384,000 articles, books and government documents on global warming, environmental protection and renewable energy
  • Off campus, it provides free access to 4,700 titles in full text
  • On campus, it also links to articles in subscription journals and books appearing in MIRLYN

• JSTOR (UMich Only) [http://www.jstor.org/jstor/]
  • Full text of major 20th Century historical, political science, economic, and environmental journals
  • Most periodicals available from 1900-2000
  • Most efficient index is the Advanced Search
  • Replace search examples-->
  • Sample search: "kyoto protocol" and china
  • View articles page-by-page or use the download button and Adobe Acrobat to print, save, or view entire article

• LEXIS-NEXIS Academic (UMich Only) [http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe]
  • For NEWSPAPER ARTICLES use the RED NEWS BUTTON and then search the SOURCE: US NEWSPAPERS AND WIRES (see Example
  • For BUSINESS NEWS use the Sources by Category section on the lefthand side of the screen to narrow the industry

• ProQuest (UMich Only) [http://proquest.umi.com/login?COPT=REJTPUcxQw@@]
  • Research Library indexes some 2500 journals in all fields since the 1980s
  • Journals indexed by author, title, keyword, periodical, and date
  • Sample search
    hydrogen car? and (carbon dioxide or greenhouse gas?)
  • Provides the full text of many since the 1990s; use MGetIt button for those without the full text designation
  • Articles may be marked for downloading
  • Text in HTML and image formats

• Worldwide Political Science Abstracts (UMich Only)
  • Citations, abstracts, and indexing of the international serials literature since 1975
  • Political science and complementary fields, including international relations, law, and public administration/policy
  • Indexes foreign language journals and translates the title into English
  • Sample Keyword Search: (uranium or plutonium) and "nuclear power plants"

Periodicals - Full Text [Web]

• Electronic Journals and Newspapers (UMich Only) [http://www.lib.umich.edu/ejournals/]
  • Alphabetic and subject lists of full text journals and newspapers
  • Available to campus web sites and authenticated remote users

• Congressional Quarterly (UMich Only) [http://library.cqpress.com/cqweekly]
  • Library has online: 1983-
  • Weekly publication with non-partisan political analysis of Congress
  • Identifies major legislation, the issues, and players
  • Political party and election analysis
  • Web coverage begins in 1983 and is searchable
  • Sample search: "kyoto protocol" and china with time period as anytime
  • Separate index for roll call votes beginning 1995
  • 1946- available in Graduate Library stacks (JK 1.C12) with Almanac, 1946- in Documents Center (JK 1. C756)

• Environment and Energy Daily (UMich Only)
  • Premier source of daily and hourly news on environmental and energy issues before Congress
  • Tracks the issues, politics, and individual pieces of legislation
  • Includes current videos, such as the FAA statement on airplane fuel
  • Search engine for accessing the archives
  • Sample search: carbon tax

• National Journal (UMich Only) [http://nationaljournal.com/pubs/nj/index.htm]
  • National Journal is a weekly periodical that focuses on the politics of the Executive Branch with some reference to current legislation
  • Full text on the web with National Journal group subscription
  • Paper copy: JK 1 .N28 (1977-)
  • EXAMPLE/Advanced Search/Exact Phrase "windfall profits tax" in all National Journal Publications

Think Tanks

• Columbia International Affairs Online (UMich Only) [http://www.ciaonet.org/]
  • Search engine indexes current world politics journals, books, conference proceedings, and think tank working papers
  • Full text primarily of working papers
  • Sample Advanced Search: brazil sugarcane WORDS IN BODY and greenhouse gas* PHRASE IN BODY

• Brookings Institution [http://www.brook.edu/default.htm]
  • Private, non-profit, independent institute analyzing U.S. government policy and international relations
  • Summaries of position papers on "hot topics" and selected Congressional testimony
  • Table of contents for the Brookings Review and selected articles
  • Publications catalog and information about the organization
  • Special topics include: Climate and Energy Economics and Energy Security

• Cato Institute [http://www.cato.org/]
  • Philosophy of limited government, free market, individual liberty, terrorism, and the Patriot Act
  • "Hot Topics" has the text of Cato Institute position papers, arranged by subject and searchable by keyword
  • Congressional testimony by institute representatives
  • See especially the Energy and Environment section

• Debate Central (National Center for Policy Analysis)
  • Numerous articles on the main debate topic organized by subject, such as alternative and fossil fuels, market fluctuations, peak oil, incentives, pollution, and state counterplans
  • Includes a glossary of terms

• National Council for Science and the Environment
  • Non-profit organization working to provide a scientific basis for public decision-making
  • It's premier publication is Encyclopedia of the Earth, a wiki of articles extensively covering biological and atmospheric aspects of climate change
  • Each topic opens into a large menu of subtopics
  • Also searchable by individuals subjects, such as carbon footprint and fuel cells
  • Many articles are illustrated to help users easily visualize a topic
  • Its Online Library contains the text of numerous Congressional Research Service Reports on the Environment

• Rand Corporation [http://www.rand.org/]
  • Non-profit research organization
  • "Research Areas" includes a subject bibliography of RAND publications since 1985 with abstracts of the reports and articles in the RAND Research Review since 1994
  • Numerous Energy and Environment documents are available online

News Sources

• Academic Universe/Lexis (UMich Only)[http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe/]
  • Full text of newspapers from around the world in English translation since the mid-1980s
  • For NEWSPAPER ARTICLES use the RED NEWS BUTTON and then search the SOURCE: US NEWSPAPERS AND WIRES (see Example
  • For BUSINESS NEWS use the Sources by Category section on the lefthand side of the screen to narrow the industry

• Access World News (UMich Only)
  • Superb source for local energy initiatives since 1996
  • Search all newspapers together or individually
  • Sample search: wind energy and mackinaw (in lead paragraph)

• New York Times
  • Full text of today's New York Times and a searchable archive
  • Initial registration required
  • Registration currently free in the U.S. but organization reserves the right to charge
  • Serials/Microforms has microfilm edition, 1851+ (FILM X979)
  • Paper index in Reference Room, 1943+ as AI 21 .N53 with 1851-1942 in Graduate Library stacks
  • Academic Universe (UMich Only) indexes the Times, 1969-79; full text begins in 1980

• World News Connection (UMich Library Only) [http://wnc.dialog.com/]
  • Full text of foreign news broadcasts and press releases translated into English beginning November 1994
  • Use Advanced Search by a combination of keyword, region, subject, country and modified by date
  • Regions are:
    Central Eurasia
    China
    East Asia
    East Europe
    West Europe
    Latin America
    Near East and South Asia
    Sub-Saharan Africa
  • Networked to University of Michigan IP addresses
  • Sample Advanced Search: gasoline()prices and China in Asia

Petroleum and Oil

• Gasoline Prices
  • Extensive guide to the causes and legislative solutions for the sharp gas price rises in Spring 2008
  • Includes production capacity, refineries, pump prices
  • Solutions include increase supply and decrease demand, strengthen the dollar, open the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and closing the Enron loophole

• Petroleum (Department of Energy)
  • U.S. and worldwide production of oil and petroleum as well as imports and exports by country
  • Weekly gasoline and diesel prices
  • Spreadsheets of oil supply and demand by region
  • Explanation of the 2008 gas price spike
  • Additional data on Refineries
  • Basic Facts describes the basic products made from oil (petroleum, jet fuel, diesel fuel, heating fuel, liquified petroleum gas)

• Association for the Study of Peak Oil and Gas
  • International organization of scientists
  • Numerous scholarly studies and reports on peak oil free on the internet

• Peak Oil (Wikipedia)
  • Extensive article describing the concept of peak oil and hot links to sources

• Peak Oil (Debate Central)
  • Peak oil is the maximum amount of oil that the world can produce in a day or the point where half of the world's possible oil has been depleted
  • This is a series of articles debating whether the concept is valid and if/when the day of peak oil production will arrive

• Congressional Hearings (selected)
  • Crude Oil: Uncertainty About Future Oil Supply Makes It Important To Develop a Strategy for Addressing a Peak and Decline in Oil Production, CIS-NO: 2007-J942-75, CIS-DATE: 2007, SOURCE: Government Accountability Office, DOC-TYPE: Print , DATE: Feb. 2007., LENGTH: 82 p., SUDOC: GA1.13:GAO-07-283., CIS/Index http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS80654
  • Understanding the Peak Oil Theory, CIS-NO: 2006-H361-9, CIS-DATE: 2006, SOURCE: Committee on Energy and Commerce. House, DOC-TYPE: Hearing , DATE: Dec. 7, 2005., LENGTH: 95 p., SUDOC: Y4.C73/8:109-41., CIS/Index http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS68126

Natural Gas

• Definition: Gas formed by compression of fossils, extracted primarily as methane with some propane and butane

• Natural Gas (DOE)
  • Straightforward explanation of what is, how it is found, and uses

• Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
  • Charts, graphs, and statistics on the five natural gas trading areas in the United States
  • Includes supplies, pipeline flows of gas by region and transporting company, major trading hubs, storage capacity and prices

• Methane (Wikipedia)
  • Extensive article that focuses on the uses of methane as a fuel.
  • The largest source of methane is natural gas
  • Some methane is generated through the decomposition of material in landfills and through other chemical processes.

• Natural Gas Supply Association
  • Analysis of natural gas supplies and current legislation
  • Believes Lieberman-Warner bill will drive up demand for natural gas while reducing reserves

• What Are Alternate Fuels (Brighthub)
  • Differences between using liquified and compressed natural gas

Coal

• Clean Coal Technology
  • History of government efforts emissions from coal power plants by providing grants for demonstration projects
  • Includes list of major demonstration projects and a detailed list of projects by state with DOE funding attached

• Coal Statistics (Deparment of Energy)
  • Coal production and deliveries in the United States
  • Coal mines by state with their output
  • Imports, exports, prices and stocks
  • Greenhouse gas emissions
  • Basic Facts describes what coal is, where it comes from, and how it's transported

• Coal Production and Demand through 2030 appears in the Annual Energy Outlook

• Congressional Hearings (selected)
  • Clean Coal, Oil and Gas Development, New Energy Opportunities Through Carbon Capture and Storage, Special Hearing, CIS-NO: 2008-S181-7, CIS-DATE: 2008, SOURCE: Committee on Appropriations. Senate, DOC-TYPE: Hearing , DOC-NO: S. Hrg. 110-265, DATE: Aug. 13, 2007., LENGTH: 68 p., SUDOC: Y4.AP6/2:S.HRG.110-265., CIS/Index http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS92316
  • Clean Coal Technology, CIS-NO: 2007-S311-59, CIS-DATE: 2007, SOURCE: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Senate, DOC-TYPE: Hearing , DOC-NO: S. Hrg. 110-174, DATE: Aug. 1, 2007., LENGTH: 104 p., SUDOC: Y4.EN2:S.HRG.110-174., CIS/Index http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS89306
  • Prospects for Advanced Coal Technologies: Efficient Energy Production, Carbon Capture and Sequestration, CIS-NO: 2008-H701-22, CIS-DATE: 2008, SOURCE: Committee on Science and Technology. House, DOC-TYPE: Hearing , DATE: May 15, 2007., LENGTH: 93 p., SUDOC: Y4.SCI2:110-29., CIS/Index http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS91978

Biofuels and Ethanol

• NOTE:
  • Once a popular alternative, biofuels are being questioned for the rise in food prices and carbon dioxide emissions that come with an internal combustion engine
  • As of June 2008, attention is turning to Plug-In Hybrids (interim) and Hydrogen Fuel Cells (long-term)

• Department of Energy Biofuels
  • Provides a description of biofuels, government use and research into biofuels, and links to other websites

• Department of Energy Biomass Programs
  • Provides an overview of biomass production and use in the United States.
  • Includes myths and facts about ethanol, as well as related Department of Energy press releases and events.

• EIA Renewable Energy: Biomass Data
  • Provides statistics on the current use of numerous types of biofuels in the United States.
  • Provides a clear explanation on the differences between wood, waste, and alcohol(ethanol) biofuels.
  • Also includes links to biomass characteristics, available resources, and related legislation.

• Department of Agriculture Rural Development: 2007 Farm Bill
  • Extensive description of the 2007 Farm Bill, used by the Department of Agriculture to guide their use and development of biofuels.
  • Includes press releases, executive summaries, and full text of the 2007 Farm Bill.

• Biofuels from Switchgrass: Greener Energy Pastures
  • An article that focuses on the use of switchgrass as an biofuel alternative to ethanol.

• Methane (Wikipedia)
  • Extensive article that focuses on the uses of methane as a fuel.
  • NOTE: This may be more appropriate for the "Natural Gas" section, as the largest source of methane is natural gas. However, some methane is generated through the decomposition of material in landfills and through other chemical processes.

• Ethanol Fuel (Wikipedia)
  • Extensive article that focuses on the use of ethanol as a fuel.
  • The largest sources of ethanol are corn (in the United States) and sugarcane (in Brazil).
  • About 5% of world ethanol prodcution in 2003 was from petroleum prodcuts.

• American Coalition for Ethanol: STATUS 2007
  • Includes extensive statistics on ethanol use and production by state.
  • Provides statistics on ethanol facilities (both in use and under construction), production incentives, and Retail E85 Stations.
  • Also provides information on related public policies and ethanol taxes.
  • PDF only, 6.10 MB.

• High Level Conference on World Food Security: the Challenges of Climate Change and Bioenergy
  • Numerous background documents on the tension between biofuels and hunger throughout the world
  • Conference sponsored by the Food and Agriculture Organization, June 3-5, 2008

• Congressional Hearings (selected)
  • Path Toward the Broader Use of Biofuels: Enhancing the Federal Commitment to Research and Development To Meet the Growing Need, CIS-NO: 2008-H701-24, CIS-DATE: 2008, SOURCE: Committee on Science and Technology. House, DOC-TYPE: Hearing , DATE: June 14, 2007., LENGTH: 92 p., SUDOC: Y4.SCI2:110-40., CIS/Index
  • State of the Biofuels Industry, CIS-NO: 2007-S161-5, CIS-DATE: 2007, SOURCE: Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. Senate, DOC-TYPE: Hearing , DOC-NO: S. Hrg. 109-714, DATE: Apr. 26, 2006., LENGTH: 83 p., SUDOC: Y4.AG8/3:S.HRG.109-714., CIS/Index http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS79980
  • Renewable Fuels Infrastructure, CIS-NO: 2007-S311-57, CIS-DATE: 2007, SOURCE: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Senate, DOC-TYPE: Hearing , DOC-NO: S. Hrg. 110-169, DATE: July 31, 2007., LENGTH: 82 p., SUDOC: Y4.EN2:S.HRG.110-169., CIS/Index http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS89983

  • Next Generation of Biofuels: Cellulosic Ethanol and the 2007 Farm Bill, CIS-NO: 2007-S161-34, CIS-DATE: 2007, SOURCE: Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. Senate, DOC-TYPE: Hearing , DOC-NO: S. Hrg. 110-160, DATE: Apr. 4, 2007., LENGTH: 127 p., SUDOC: Y4.AG8/3:S.HRG.110-160., CIS/Index http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS88612

• Additional Articles (UMich Only)
  • MARTHA J. GROOM, ELIZABETH M. GRAY, PATRICIA A. TOWNSEND (2008) Biofuels and Biodiversity: Principles for Creating Better Policies for Biofuel Production
    http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi /abs/10.1111/j.1523-1739.2007.00879.x
    
  • Ethanol Production Using Corn, Switchgrass, and Wood; Biodiesel Production Using Soybean and … D Pimentel, TW Patzek - Natural Resources Research, 2005 - Springer
    http://www.springerlink.com/content/r1552355771656v0/

Geothermal

• Geothermal Energy (Debate Central)
  • Excerpts of articles, against but primarily for, the use of geothermal energy for electrical power

• Geothermal Energy Association
  • Extensive description of geothermal energy, its potential use for electricity generation and home heating, costs, uses worldwide, and statistics (see Geothermal Basics link on lefthand side)
  • Organization's legislative priorities
  • Geothermal vendors

• Geothermal Technologies Legacy Collection (OSTI)
  • Identify government-sponsored technical reports on geothermal energy, 1970-present (e.g. geothermal energy in Yellowstone)
  • The majority are available in full text in pdf format

• Geothermal Resources Program (Dept. of Energy)
  • History of geothermal use
  • Geothermal resource map of the United States
  • Applications for geothermal energy, environmental impacts, details of drilling
  • Laws and technical standards applicable

• Geothermal Heat Pumps (Dept. of Energy)
  • Describes how they operate and how to choose one to heat your home

• International Ground Heat Pump Association
  • "What is Geothermal?" provides a good overall view of geothermal heat pums
  • Membership in the association is required for many of the publications listed on the web site

Hydroelectric

• Definition--dams harness water going through turbines to create kinetic energy and electricity

• Hydroelectricity (EPA)
  • Briefly describes the pros and cons of hydroelectric power and dams
  • A similar description is also available from the Department of Energy

• Hydroelectric Statistics (EIA)
  • Electricity generated by hydro dams by state and by sector for the past two years

• Hydropower (Debate Central)
  • Articles before and against hydropower dams to generate electricity
  • Miminal pollution but dams may create other environmental impacts

• State Resource Assessment Reports
  • State-by-state and river basis assessment of hydroelectric use and potential

Hydrogen

• NOTE:
  • Hydrogen fuel cells are currently considered a long-term solution to oil dependence and greenhouse gases
  • Hybrids are considered an interim technology

• A National Vision of America's Transition to a Hydrogen Economy: 2030 and Beyond
  • Department of Energy report from 2001 explaining the various technologies that could implemented using hydrogen
  • Hydrogen can be obtained from biomass, fossil fuels or water
  • Can be used for fuel cells, fuel additives, internal combustion engines, portable power, and propulsion systems

• Fuel Cells 2000
  • Most comprehensive web site on fuel cell technology
  • Basics on how fuel cells operate (chemically change hydrogen to produce electric power) and possible applications
  • Worldwide list of hydrogen fueling stations
  • State policies and projects on the use of fuel cells

• Student's Guide to Alternative Fuel Vehicles
  • Straightforward explanation of the technology
  • Links to other alternative fuels and to web sites about fuel cells

• Congressional Hearings (selected)
  • Transportation Sector Fuel Efficiency, CIS-NO: 2007-S311-23, CIS-DATE: 2007, SOURCE: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Senate, DOC-TYPE: Hearing , DOC-NO: S. Hrg. 110-15, DATE: Jan. 30, 2007., LENGTH: 76 p., SUDOC: Y4.EN2:S.HRG.110-15., CIS/Index http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS81701
  • Vehicle and Fuels Technology: Next Generation, CIS-NO: 2006-H361-70, CIS-DATE: 2006, SOURCE: Committee on Energy and Commerce. House, DOC-TYPE: Hearing , DATE: May 24, 2006., LENGTH: 143 p., SUDOC: Y4.C73/8:109-103., CIS/Index http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS74955
  • Energy and Mineral Requirements for Renewable and Alternative Fuels Used for Transportation and Other Purposes, CIS-NO: 2006-H651-31, CIS-DATE: 2006, SOURCE: Committee on Resources. House, DOC-TYPE: Hearing , DATE: May 18, 2006., LENGTH: 58 p., SUDOC: Y4.R31/3:109-54., CIS/Index http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS74640

Nuclear

• Nuclear Regulatory Commission
  • Provides information on nuclear reactors, nuclear materials, radioactive waste, and nuclear security

• Nuclear Energy (Debate Central)
  • Excerpts of articles related to the use of nuclear energy for electrical power.

• Office of Nuclear Energy (Department of Energy)
  • Provides information on the Nuclear Power 2010 program, the Global Nuclear Energy Program, and related programs funded by the Department of Energy.
  • Also contains links to recent news articles on the use of nuclear power and to scientific institutions researching nuclear power.

• Nuclear Energy Statistics (EIA)
  • Includes statistics on nuclear fuel, nuclear power plants, and radioactive waste.
  • Also provides related reports and limited international nuclear power statistics.

• Nuclear Energy (EPA)
  • Provides information on the environmental impacts of nuclear power generation.

• Congressional Hearings (selected)
  • Chernobyl Accident, DOC-TYPE: Hearings -- Digital Collection, HEARING-ID: HRG-1986-NAR-0014, (UMich Only) June 19, 1986, 346 pp., Y4.En2:S.hrg.99-869

  • Accident at the Three Mile Island Nuclear Powerplant, Part 1, DOC-TYPE: Hearings -- Digital Collection, HEARING-ID: HRG-1979-IIA-0002, (UMich Only) May. 9-11, 15, 1979, Y4.In8/14:96-8/pt.1

  • Accident at the Three Mile Island Nuclear Powerplant, Part 2, DOC-TYPE: Hearings -- Digital Collection, HEARING-ID: HRG-1979-IIA-0004 (UMich Only), May 21, 24, 1979, Y4.In8/14:96-8/pt.2

  • For many additional hearings on nuclear reactor safety, see LEXIS-NEXIS Congressional (UMich Only)

Oceans

NOTE: Ocean energy is also known as tidal energy. Wave power, while related, is a different potential source of electricity.
• Ocean Energy (Debate Central)
  • Excerpts of articles, against but primarily for, the use of ocean energy for electrical power.

• Tidal Power (Wikipedia)
  • Provides information on the potential use, categories, efficiency, and environmental impacts of tidal energy

• Hydrokinetic and Wave Technologies
  Proceedings of a 2005 workshop with details on the way tidal power can be harnessed

Solar

• Solar Energy (Debate Central)
  • Excerpts of articles, against but primarily for, the use of solar energy for electrical power.
• Solar Energy Statistics (Thermal) (EIA)
  • Includes statistics on the shipment and distribution of solar thermal energy.
• Solar Energy Statistics (Photovoltaic) (EIA)
  • Includes statistics on the shipment and distribution of solar photovoltaic energy.
• Solar Energy Technologies Program (Department of Energy)
  • Includes information on Concentrating Solar Power (CSP), photovoltaics, and solar heating.
  • Also includes summaries of relevant legislation and policies, such as the Solar America Initiative (SAI).
  • The Solar America Cities Program (a subprogram of the SAI) includes a map showing the solar resource potential of the United States.
  • The city of Ann Arbor is one of the 25 cities in the Solar America Cities Program.
• Auxiliary and Supplemental Power Fact Sheet: Solar Power (EPA)
  • Extensive description of photovoltaic solar cells, industrial and residential uses, and estimated costs.
• Photovoltaics (Wikipedia)
  • Provides an overview of the current development, applications, economics, and environmental impacts of photovoltaics.
  • Also provides links to articles on solar energy, solar thermal energy, and other related technologies.

• Congressional Hearings (selected)
  • Solar Energy Research and Advancement Act of 2007, CIS-NO: 2007-H703-21, CIS-DATE: 2007, SOURCE: Committee on Science and Technology. House, DOC-TYPE: Report, DOC-NO: H. Rpt. 110-303, DATE: Aug. 3, 2007., LENGTH: 79 p., SUDOC: Y1.1/8:110-303., CIS/Index http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS84717
  • Impact of Federal Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy R&D Programs, CIS-NO: 2005-H701-3, CIS-DATE: 2005, SOURCE: Committee on Science. House, DOC-TYPE: Hearing , DATE: May 19, 2004., LENGTH: 102 p., SUDOC: Y4.SCI2:108-59., CIS/Index http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS58332

Wind

NOTE: As wind energy is partially created by the sun, with solar-generated temperature differentiations helping to create air movement, some wind-related information may be found in solar energy sources.
• Wind Energy (Debate Central)
  • Excerpts of articles, against but primarily for, the use of wind energy for electrical power.
• Wind and Hydropower Technologies Program (Department of Energy)
  • Includes information on basic wind energy technology, as well as large and distributed wind energy technology.
  • Also includes a link to the Federal Wind Siting Information Center, used by the federal government to determine the optimal locations for wind energy development.
• Wind Energy (EIA)
  • Includes statistics on wind power class, net electricity generation, and wind resources on federal lands.
  • Also includes a map of wind resource potential in the United States.

• Wind Power (Wikipedia)
  • Provides information on the use, placement, economics, and environmental effects of wind power.

• Congressional Hearings (selected)
  • [Blowing in the Wind: Renewable Energy as the Answer to an Economy Adrift], CIS-NO: Not Yet Assigned, SOURCE: Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, Select. House, DOC-TYPE: Hearing , DATE: Mar. 6, 2008., CIS/Index
  • Gone with the Wind: Impacts of Wind Turbines on Birds and Bats, CIS-NO: 2007-H581-21, CIS-DATE: 2007, SOURCE: Committee on Natural Resources. House, DOC-TYPE: Hearing , DATE: May 1, 2007., LENGTH: 86 p., SUDOC: Y4.R31/3:110-22., CIS/Index http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS88300

Airlines

• Fliers in for Pain as Airlines Pack It In
  • Extensive article showing plans for airlines to cut seats and airports this fall
  • An interactive map by state shows which airports in that state will be cut and by percentage

Automobiles

• Alternative Fuels (Edmunds)
  • Clear explanation of all alternatives: biodiesel, compressed natural gas, electric, ethanol, fuel-cells, methanol, and woodgas

• Automobile Industry - Alternative Fuels (Michigan Electronic Library)
  • Excellent annotations to selected web sites describing alternative fuel options (e.g. hybrid, electric car), research news, and projects by GM/Daimler Chrysler, and BMW
  • Link to Consumer Reports ratings

• Hypermiling
  • Driving tips that could increase fuel efficiency in the city by up to 50%

• Your Car (DOE)
  • Calculate gasoline costs at various MPG, gas mileage tips, how to buy alternative cards (e.g. comparison of hybrids), alternative fuels and their costs

• NOTE:
  • Hybrids are considered a transitional technology as hydrogen fuel cells are being developed
  • Hybrids combine petroleum and electricity (but not electricity generated by fuel cells
  • About.Com clearly distinguishes between the regular and plug-in hybrid
  • The two most notable hybrids are Toyota Prius and Honda Civic as of June 2008

• Hybrid Mileage Comes Up Short
  • Hybrids receive less than 60% of EPA's estimated MPG because of the way EPA conducts the test
  • More likely estimates are 26 (Honda) and 35 (Toyota) MPG in the city rather than 41 and 60 MPG

• Congressional Hearings (selected)
  • Hybrid Cars: Increasing Fuel Efficiency and Reducing Oil Dependence, CIS-NO: 2007-H401-54, CIS-DATE: 2007, SOURCE: Committee on Government Reform. House, DOC-TYPE: Hearing , DATE: July 20, 2006., LENGTH: 93 p., SUDOC: Y4.G74/7:F95/10., CIS/Index http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS85203
  • Ending Our Addiction to Oil: Are Advanced Vehicles and Fuels the Answer?, CIS-NO: 2007-H701-8, CIS-DATE: 2007, SOURCE: Committee on Science. House, DOC-TYPE: Hearing , DATE: June 5, 2006., LENGTH: 186 p., SUDOC: Y4.SCI2:109-52., CIS/Index http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS77561

• CalCars
  • Description of plug-ins with all of their pros
  • 100 MPG, very low pollution

• MPSC Initiates Pilot Program to Integrate Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles into the Electric Grid
  • Press release from March 2008
  • The University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute is a partner in this pilot project

• Payoff for Plug-In Hybrid: 95 Years?
  • Cars like the Chevy Volt may cost more but save very little money per Michael Kanellos of CNET

• NOTE
  • Smart Cars are very small and made with ecologically friendly materials
  • They may have combustion engines or run as hybrids

• Smart Cars
  • Small car for two people made in France to be ecologically sound
  • Receives 33-41 MPG in city driving depending on changing EPA standards

• Ford Greener Miles Environmentally Friendly Vehicle Innovation
  • Provides information about current vehicles that utilize alternative fuels and provides information on advances in fuel efficency, hybrid technology, ethanol, hydrogen, diesel
  • Also provides information about Ford's attempt to improve its manufacturing
  • Provides ten tips for "eco-driving"
  • Volvo Cars: Environment: provides information about how Volvo

• General Motors: Fuel Economy & Alternative Fuels
  • Includes GM advances in various alternative fuels, including: biofuels, hybrid, electric, and fuel cells
  • Provides information on fuel advances, emissions data, and environmental effects of various alternative fuel vehicles
  • Has tools to calculate fuel economy and to find low gas prices in your area
  • Provides ten ways to improve fuel economy and fuel economy news

• Chevrolet: Fuel Solutions
  • Includes information about fuel efficiency, biofuels, hybrids, electric, and fuel cell projects currently being worked on by Chevrolet

• Environmental Protection at Audi
  • Provides information on CO2 emissions, products, production, and environmental management initiatives

• BMW Efficient Dynamics Program
  • Includes information about BMW's efforts to create efficient technologies with hybrid vehicles and their pursuit to create vehicles that use clean energy
  • Research: includes information about BMW's research into clean fuel technologies
• Honda Hybrid and Alternative Fuel Vehicles
  • Includes information on the various models of alternative fuel vehnicles
  • Includes information about fuel savings and how the technology works
  • 2008 FCX Clarity: new zero-emission hydrogen powered fuel cell sedan
  • Honda rolls out fuel cell car (CNN) - article announcing the release of the 2008 FCX Clarity to certain locals in Southern California
• Land Rover
  • Provides an overview of Land Rover's sixty years of committment to the environment
  • Also includes information about environmental technology, sustainable manufacturing, CO2 Offsetting, and Conservation & Humanitarian Projects by Land Rover

• Lexus: Inside Hybrid
  • Provides information on the Lexus' hybrid philosphy, hybrid benefits, performance innovations, fuel economy, hybrid vehicles and reviews of their products

• Mitsubishi: Working Toward A Greener Future
  • Includes information on clean air technology, alternative fuels, renewable production, and conservation projects of Mitsubishi

• Nissan: Green Program
  • Provides details about the Nissan Green Program 2010 and other corporate initiatives involving the environment

• Renault: Sustainable Energy
  • Provides details on the environmental issues and the policies and actions that Renault has taken to improve the environmental impact of their cars
  • Also includes information on the stakeholders of the company

• Smart Cars
  • Provides general information about Smart Cars for consumers and researchers
  • Ecology provides information on the environmental impact of the Smart Car (also check under the Ecology link at the top for subtopics)

• Subaru
  • Provides general information on sabaru's clean plant policy and SmartWay Vehicles

• Volkswagon Carbon Neutral Project
  • Provides information on Volkswagon's suggestions of ways to offset the carbon emissions from their cars through other conservation methods

• Public Transit Ridership Continues To Grow In The First Quarter Of 2008
  • Ridership up 85 million over Jan.-March 2007
  • Press release from the American Public Transit Association on June 2, 2008

Household Furnishings

• Compact Fluorescent Lights
  • Equivalent watts between incandescent and CF lightbulbs
  • Various sizes, wattages, and shapes
  • Energy savings
  • How to dispose of them

• Energy Saving Tips (Dept. of Energy)
  • Tips for household summer cooling and winter heating
  • Recommendations for water heaters, insulation, and lighting

• Energy Star Products
  • Tips for saving electricity on all types of appliances
  • Energy Star ratings for specific makes and models of appliances, heating and cooling equipment, office equipment, and home electronics
  • Store locators and rebate finders

• Geothermal Heat Pumps (Dept. of Energy)
  • Describes how they operate and how to choose one to heat your home

Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards

• Average miles per gallon a company's fleet of new cars will obtain

• Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (PL 110-140, H.R. 6)
  • Requires manufacturers' automotive fleets to average 35 MPH by 2020
  • Provides competitive grants for developing plug-in electric vehicles
  • Raises requirements for the use of biofuels and establishes competitive grants for research

• National Highway Traffic Administration
  • Government agency responsible for establishing each year's standards
  • Web site provides extensive history of CAFE (fuel efficiency) regulations and describes how it is calculated
  • Also includes current rules and notices of rulemaking as well as evaluations on the effectiveness of the program

• Congressional Hearings (selective)
  • National Security, Safety, Technology, and Employment Implications of Increasing the CAFE Standards, CIS-NO: 2006-S261-11, CIS-DATE: 2006, SOURCE: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Senate, DOC-TYPE: Hearing , DOC-NO: S. Hrg. 107-1133, DATE: Jan. 24, 2002., LENGTH: 101 p., SUDOC: Y4.C73/7:S.HRG.107-1133., CIS/Index http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS66835
  
  
  • Report of the National Academy of Sciences on the Effectiveness and Impact of Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) StandardsCIS-NO: 2002-S261-29, CIS-DATE: November, 2002, SOURCE: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Senate, DOC-TYPE: Hearing , DOC-NO: S. Hrg. 107-645, DATE: Aug. 2, 2001, LENGTH: iii+40 p., SUDOC: Y4.C73/7:S.HRG.107-645, CIS/Index
    http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS23805

Cap and Trade

• Debate Central
  • Pros and cons of cap and trade on carbon emissions appear in the Cap and Trade and Carbon Tax sections

• Investing in Climate Action and Protection Act
  • To be introduced by Edward Markey into House the week of June 2
  • Caps pollution at 85 percent below 2005 levels by 2050
  • Auction system that sets a price on carbon, and allows companies to compete for reductions, or buy or trade credits within the system

• Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act of 2008
  • Overhauled and introduced by Barbara Boxer as S. 3036 on May 20, 2008
  • Directs the EPA to decrease carbon emissions and create a trade program
  • Links include text of bill and discussion in the Congressional Record the week of June 2, 2008
  • Congressional Budget Office estimate of the revenues to be generated by the bill

• Congressional Hearings (selective)
  • Counting the Change: Accounting for the Fiscal Impacts of Controlling Carbon Emissions,CIS-NO: 2008-H261-13, CIS-DATE: 2008, SOURCE: Committee on Budget. House, DOC-TYPE: Hearing , DATE: Nov. 1, 2007., LENGTH: 64 p., SUDOC: Y4.B85/3:110-24., CIS/Index. http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=110_house_hearings&docid=f:39491.pdf

  • [Cap, Auction, and Trade: Auction and Revenue Recycling Under Carbon Cap and Trade], CIS-NO: Not Yet Assigned, SOURCE: Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, Select. House, DOC-TYPE: Hearing , DATE: Jan. 23, 2008., CIS/Index. http://globalwarming.house.gov/pubs/pubs?id=0026

Gasoline Prices

• Gasoline Prices
  • Statistics on pump and crude oil prices, exchange rates, and oil reserves
  • Solutions to high prices of 2008 from supply and demand to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and regulating commodity exchanges

Monetary Incentives

• Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
  • Catalog of federal government programs providing funds to individuals, organizations, and state governments
  • Search by keyword (e.g. solar) to determine the programs funding a particular alternative fuel project
  • Data includes the application process, use of the money, related laws and regulations
  • Use Grants.gov under the heading "Energy" for a list of the grants available; you can arrange the list by date in descending order

• Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Energy
  • State-by-state list of energy incentives, including incorporate and personal tax credits, grants, and regulations

• Department of Energy Grants
  • Lists grant opportunities in a variety of areas
  • The CFDA code for alternative fuels tends to be 81.087

  Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (PL 110-140, H.R. 6)

  • Requires manufacturers' automotive fleets to average 35 MPH by 2020
  • Provides competitive grants for developing plug-in electric vehicles
  • Raises requirements for the use of biofuels and establishes competitive grants for research

Country Pollution Comparisons

• Environmental Sustainability Index (CIESIN)
  • Ranks countries on 67 environmental factors
  • Air and water quality, biodiversity, capacity for debate, environmental actions to reduce stress
  • Data includes a book in pdf format, Powerpoint slide show, Excel spreadsheet, and pdf files which provide data by country and by environmental variable

• Fighting Climate Change: Human Solidarity in a Divided World
  • UNDP's Human Development Report for 2008
  • Filled with statistics and challenges for individual countries fighting climate changes
  • Recommended ways for local action as well as international cooperation

• Global Environment Outlook-3 (UNEP)
  • Extensive report on population growth and the status of forestry, fisheries, land, agriculture, air pollution, water supplies, and urban waste
  • Complete report provides text, graphs, and data
  • Historical data and projections usually available by continent with some information also by country
  • Updated by Geo4, a report but less graphic than Geo-3, in 2007

• NationMaster
  • Create graphs, maps, and country rankings for a very broad range of social, economic and cultural statistics
  • Subjects include individual crimes, currency, sports, religion, transportation, electoral system, budget, trade balance, health, education, economics, marriage rate
  • Countries may be ranked by region as well as worldwide from the top 100 to the bottom 5
  • Sample: Papua-New Guinea has one of the lowest crime rates in the world while Saudi Arabia has the largest car theft rate in the Middle East

• World Development Indicators (UMich Only)
  • World Bank data base with 593 series of demographic, economic, and environmental information for 226 countries
  • Time series covers 1960 to present when annual data are available for a given country
  • Choose countries or groups of countries
  • Choose series with the tree or alphabetical view (environmental data includes carbon dioxide emissions, electric power and oil usage per capita
  • Choose years
  • Once you view the data, choose the orientation (columns or rows), scaling options, display (chart, index, raw)
  • Download into ASCII or Excel format

Future Scenarios

• Climate Change Impacts on the United States
  • Full text of report found under Overview
  • PDF only; divided into chapters, some about 2 MB

• EPA Climate Change Web Site
  • Past, present and future changes to the climate
  • Greenhouse gas emissions
  • Health and environmental effects of climate change
  • National strategy on climate change and climate economics
  • Advise for the user on strategies for home, school, business

• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
  • Established by the World Meteorological Organization and UNEP, this working group assesses the physical science behind climate change, likely impacts, and recommended policy initiatives
  • Its Synthesis Report #4
    • Released on November 17, 2007
    • World can expect 4.5 foot rise in oceans in next 1000 years
    • If carbon dioxide not capped by 2015 and reductions begin, Europe will lose species, Africa will suffer from water shortages, Asia from flooding, North America from longer and hotter heat waves

• State Climate Change Impacts (EPA)
  • State-by-state assessment of global warming trends, its impacts on agriculture and ecosystems

• Scientific Assessment of the Effects of Global Change on the United States
  
  • Worldwide climate change will increase heat, drought, and sea-level in the United States
  • Report outlines the effects on human (especially an increase in food and waterborne disease), the air, land, biology, and transportation
  • President's triennial report on climate change made available on May 29, 2008 by court order
  • Another copy
  • A companion volume, its Revised Research Plan describes progress and cites studies conducted by the government on global warming, 2003-2008, along with an outline for 2008-2010 research

• U.S. Climate Change Science Program
  • Federal interagency organization which integrates research on global and U.S. climate change as well as environmental, human, and economic factors
  • Its first report, Temperature Trends in the Lower Atmosphere was released on May 2, 2006
    • Resolves discrepancy between changes in the upper and lower atmostphere
    • Global warming in part caused by human influences in the atmosphere
  • On-going reports assess additional environmental changes
  • Reports issued on June 19 and 20, 2008 discussed more extremes, including drought and floods

Strategies for Change

• Comprehensive
  • EPA Climate Change Web Site
    • Past, present and future changes to the climate
    • Greenhouse gas emissions
    • Health and environmental effects of climate change
    • National strategy on climate change and climate economics
    • Advise for the user on strategies for home, school, business

  • IPCC Fourth Assessment Report: Mitigation of Climate Change
    • Suggests international strategies for mitigating climate change on an international basis in the short and long terms
    • Sections on transportation, greenhouse gases, agriculture, waste management

• Carbon Footprint
  • Carbon Footprint Calculate (Senate Committee on Environmental Affairs)
    • Calculate your carbon footprint (tons for which you are responsible) each year through auto, airplane, electricity, and heating use
    • Recommendations for lowering the carbon used
  • Residential Energy and Carbon Footprints of the 100 Largest Metropolitan Areas
    • Report issued in May 2008 by Marilyn Brown of the Georgia Institute of Technology
    • Per capita carbon footprint is lower in cities due to public transportation and population density
    • Carbon varies geographically due to weather and the kind of fuel available
    • Ranks individual cities on emissions

• Carbon Sequestration
  • Explanation of government program to capture carbon before or after it enters the atmosphere and bury it

• Clean Coal Technology
  • History of government efforts emissions from coal power plants by providing grants for demonstration projects
  • Includes list of major demonstration projects and a detailed list of projects by state with DOE funding attached
  • America's Power is a lobby group supporting clean coal technology

International Treaties

• United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Changes
  • Text of the United Nations Framework Convention and list of ratifications
  • Text of documents from previous and forthcoming conventions
  • Text of the Kyoto Protocol limiting greenhouse gas emissions by 37 industrial countries
  • Country reports on the implementation of various agreements
  • The United States signed the Framework Convention but not the Kyoto Protocol because Congress felt it would damage U.S. economy and developing countries were not included in the emission reduction

• United Nations Treaty Data Base
  United Nations Treaties
  • Subject approach to international treaties deposited with the United Nations and League of Nations Searchable by subject, parties, type of agreement, date signed Text viewable page by page Alternative plug-in permits one to view the entire treaty at the same time
  • The full texts of the treaties are also located in the printed United Nations Treaty Series (JX 170 .U54 with current in the Documents Center)
  • Multilateral Treaties
    • Provides title, registration, date entered into force, location of text, and participants with their signature, ratification/accession/succession and reservations
    • The paper is the equivalent is Multilateral Treaties Deposited with the Secretary General (Doc. Cen. JX 4165 .U54)
• ECOLEX: Gateway to Environmental Law (UNEP/World Conservation Fund)
  • Current treaties searchable by a combination of keyword, subject, type (bilateral, multilateral), country, region, year, language, and depository)
  • Brief description of the treaty in the native language

• Environmental Treaties (CIESIN)
  • Full text of international environmental treaties
  • Searchable by keyword, date entered into force, signatories, and socioeconomic indicators of signatories

• European Environmental Law
  • Full text of numerous environmental treaties, international laws, and case laws about environmental topics in Western Europe

Weather

• Climate Research Center (University of East Anglia)
  • Known for its historic data on climate change
  • Average world temperatures, 1856-2000 in zip format
  • Data for world as a whole

• NOAA Paleoclimatology
  • Archaeologists contribute to pre-instrument weather estimates from around the world
  • Searchable by latitude and longitude, country or state, and method (insects, ice, fire, etc.)
  • Includes slide shows and publications
  • Not all data is easy to use

• World Meteorological Organization
  • Index of weather data on the Internet by continent and type
  • Daily forecasts and average monthly temperatures and precipitation

Comprehensive Directories and Indexes

• Federal Agency Web Sites [http://www.lib.lsu.edu/gov/fedgov.html]
  • Cleancut alphabetical listing of federal agency web sites
  • Includes search engine

• First.Gov [http://www.firstgov.gov/]
  • Portal to federal government information
  • Initial web page oriented toward the citizen-consumer with links to forms, consumer recalls, etc.
  • Search engine indexes most government web sites
  • Sample search "alternative energy" netted federal and state documents

• Google
  • One of the most popular search engines with results rated by the number of web sites which point to it
  • Sample search: honda "fuel cell"

• Google Government Search [http://www.google.com/ig/usgov]
  • Web search engine devoted exclusively to sites with .gov and .mil extensions
  • Excellent for federal policy papers
  • Named Google UncleSam until it added news items for Washington, D.C. federal employees
  • Sample search: "alternative energy" grants

Technical Reports

• DOE Information Bridge (Dept. of Energy/GPO)
  • Full text of over 25,000 contracted technical reports on energy beginning January 1996
  • Choose GIF, TIFF, or PDF format at initial screen
  • Easy search provides author, title, and keyword approach
  • Advanced search adds capability by contractor, publication number, and date
  • Documents may be downloaded as a whole or viewed page-by-page
  • Documents retrieved may also be searched individually for keywords

• Energy Citations Database (DOE/OSTI)
  • Indexes 2.3 million technical reports since 1948 and provides the full text of 179,000 since 1994
  • Subjects include environment, engineering, geology and engineering
  • Created by the Dept of Energy Office of Science and Technical Information
  • Sample search: "fuel economy" and airlines
  • Search results provide an abstract in addition to full text links when available
  • LONGER TIME PERIOD than DOE Information Bridge and includes more agencies

• Environmental Protection Agency
  • EPA National On-Line Library System
    • Searchable index to printed EPA publications
    • Advanced search provides for a combination of author, title, keyword, corporate source, report number (e.g. EPA 600/2), library holding the material, and date
  • EPA Publications Index
    • Search engine to EPA publications with full text on the web
    • Browse by topic
    • Search by exact title, keyword in title, or document number
    • Provides link to text and format notes
  • National Environmental Publications Information
    • Full text of 6000 EPA publications
    • Searchable by keyword (e.g. toxic waste; Michigan)

• National Technical Information Service
  • Indexes publications, products, services, and technical reports available for purchase from NTIS since 1990
  • Prices for microfiche and paper included with the abstract
  • NTIS (Umich Only) provides commercial indexing back to 1964
  • Consult the Art, Architecture and Engineering Library for uncataloged NTIS documents
  • AAEL will purchase NTIS documents for University of Michigan students and staff; fill in its NTIS Purchase Form
  • Price Schedules includes price codes in Adobe Acrobat format
  • Selected Full Text Online, 1997-2000 (See Documents Center for password)
  • Some material prior to 1964 appears as full text in the Defense Technical Information Center database

Executive Branch

• Agencies
  • Department of Agriculture
    • Energy Page
      • Includes links to news articles, fact sheets, audio recordings, video recordings related topics, and additional resources
    • The USDA Matrix
      • The USDA Matrix was created as a way to navigate the various programs that were created for farmers and rural residents
      • Programs are classified in three ways, including: agencies that run the programs, the programs themselves, and the energy type that the program addresses
    • Natural Resources Conservation Service
      • Originally created in 1935 (under the name Soil Conservatin Service), helps the public conserve their soil, water, and other natural resources
      • Includes Legislative summaries and reports
      • Includes news, programs, technical resources, and partnerships
      • Energy Tools - provide tools to assist farmers, ranchers, and politicians in making decissions regarding animal housing, irrigation, nitrogen emissions, and energy costs associated with tillage
    • Advancing Renewable Energy Conference - St. Louis
      • Includes newsreleases, transcripts, audio recordings, and video recordings from the conference
  • Department of Energy
    • Energy Efficency and Renewable Energy Office
      • Includes information on current programs being overseen by the office, newsreleases, feature stories, and popular topics
      • A list of other Department of Energy Program Offices
    • Renewable Energy
      • Includes a basic definition of renewable energy and provides information on particular offices, programs, and information sources that are available through the Department of Energy
      • The left side of the screen includes link to other alternative energy resources
  • Department of the Interior
    • Energy Page
      • Oultines current projects, statements, and additional information from the Department of the Interior
    • Alternative Energy and Alternative Use Program
      • Includes press releases, regulations, projects, presentations, graphics, definitions, and links to related agencies and offices
    • U.S. Office of Surface Mining
      • Includes information on current mine programs in the United States
    • Energy Research and News (USGS)
      • Includes sections on highlights, study areas, current projects & publications, basic explanations of energy sources, regional studies, health and environmental issues, geochemistry/geophysics studies, and other useful information
      • Provide a search Engine to find energy publications created by the department and GIS data
  • Department of Transportation
    • Office of Safety, Energy, and Environment
      • Website contains little information other than basic office information (however it is the main energy office within the DOT)
    • Energy and Environment Publications (Bureau of Transportation Statistics)
      • Contains a number of publications that are freely available online
      • Many of the publications provide statistics on energy consumption, specifically in regard to transportation
    • National Transportation Library
      • Provides a search engine to valuable Department of Transporation Resources
  • Energy Information Administration (Department of Energy)
    • Includes links to information about various sources of energy, general topics in energy research, energy information by foreign country, energy information by state, historical energy information, basic background on energy issues, and current news from the administration
    • The website provides latest market updates, forecasts of future energy usage, and state and county information profiles
    • The website also has an A-Z index of topics related to energy to help researchers
    • Energy Basics 101 provides useful statistics and background information by energy source
    • Contains a glossary of energy terms
  • Environmental Protection Agency
    • Website provides links to a variety of topics, some of which are the effects of using particular types of energy (i.e. climate change, oil spills, etc.)
    • The main menu includes links to press releases, law/regulation searching, information/education resources, programs, and partnerships
    • Energy Star Program (in conjunction with the Department of Energy) - Outlines a project to reduce global warming through new products, home improvement projects, and construction projects
  • Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
    • FERC is responsible for regulation of interstate transmission of energy and licensing interstate projects
    • The main website provides a variety of information, including: information about FERC, news, congress proceedings, publications, industries, legal resources, market oversight, enforcement of regulations, and citizen information
  • Nuclear Regulatory Commission
    • Provides information on nuclear reactors, nuclear materials, radioactive waste, and nuclear security
  • Tennessee Valley Authority
    • Provides information on the Tennessee Valley Authority, including historical information, news releases, and current statistics/information; in addition to tips to reduce energy consumption.
    • Green Power Switch is a program that produces electricity through renewable sources and adds it to the Tennessee Valley's power mix

• Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents, 1993+ [http://www.gpoaccess.gov/wcomp/index.html]
  • Full text of Presidential executive orders, speeches, press conferences, names of nominees
  • Phrases should be in parentheses and Boolean operators capitalized (e.g. "china" AND "most favored nation") different example-->
  • Table of contents search (contents AND "july 28, 1997)

• Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States
  • Public Papers of the President, 1992+ (GPO)
    • Presidential speeches and statements issued by the Office of the Press Secretary on an annual basis
    • Declarations, nominations, and executive orders
  • Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States, 1929-2000 (UMich)
    • Presidential speeches, executive orders, nominations and press releases for Herbert Hoover (1929-32) and Harry Truman (1945-1952) through Bill Clinton (1993-2000)
    • Initial page searches all volumes via Boolean logic
    • Other Searches includes Boolean and proximity searches for the author, title or citation
    • Pages available in image, pdf and text format
    • Although on-screen viewing is limited to page-by-page, you can add a volume to your bookbag and then download or email it to yourself

• White House [http://www.whitehouse.gov/]
  • Press releases, speeches and documents beginning January 2001 and updated daily
  • The section on Energy emphasizes President Bush's move to biofuels in the short-term; fuel cells, nuclear, and renwable sources in the long-term, as well as energy efficiency standards; also Advanced Energy Initiative and his Reliable, Affordable, and Environmentally Sound Energy for America's Future, written in 2001
  • The section on Environment includes a Global Climate Change Policy Book

• Barack Obama
  • Summary of both energy and environmental policies
  • Two more extensive documents on energy and environmental plans

• John McCain
  • Climate Policy has a separate issues page
  • Use the keyword index for energy policy, included in numerous of his speeches

Legislative Branch

• Background
  • Congress Daily (UMich Only) [http://nationaljournal.com/pubs/congressdaily/]
    • Full text of Hill news since 1991 and updated twice daily
    • Searchable by keyword and year

  • CQ Weekly Report (UMich Only) [http://library.cqpress.com/cqweekly/]
    • Full text of CQ since 1983
    • Initial page boots up to current issue
    • Separate search engines for articles and roll call votes can be limited by year
    • Paper copy in Documents Center as JK 1.C12--Ref. with older issues in Graduate Library
    • Web subscription includes CQ Researcher which provides briefing reports on public policy issues

  • Congressional Quarterly Almanac (UMich Only)
    • Annual compilation (1945-2006) of detailed articles on legislation being considered in Congress with behind the scenes information
    • Includes all roll call votes and many political documents, such as national convention speeches and platforms
    • Browse by year, do a keyword search across years, or use the Policy Tracker for very detailed subject browsing, including Energy and Environment
    • Also available in paper copy in the Documents Center as JK 1 .C756

  • Environment and Energy Daily (UMich Only)
    • Premier source of daily and hourly news on environmental and energy issues before Congress
    • Tracks the issues, politics, and individual pieces of legislation
    • Includes current videos, such as the FAA statement on airplane fuel
    • Search engine for accessing the archives
    • Sample search: carbon tax

  • Google's Uncle Sam [http://www.google.com/ig/usgov]
    • Indexes federal government web pages with a .gov and .mil extension
    • Great for obtaining statements by members of Congress and reports of the Executive Branch

  • National Journal [http://nationaljournal.com/pubs/nj/index.htm]
    • Weekly periodical on government agencies; includes major legislative issues
    • Full text, 1977+,
    • Also in Graduate Library as JK 1.N28 with current issues in Documents Center--Docs.Ref.

  • ProQuest
    • Index to over 2300 popular and scholarly journals since the mid-1980s
    • Full text of numerous journals since the 1990s

• Bills
  • Congressional Universe (UMich Only) [http://web.lexis-nexis.com/congcomp/]
    • Indexes bills since 1989 by subject, keyword, sponsor, and date
    • Provides the full text and legislative status
    • Also includes the full text of laws and regulations in force
  • THOMAS [http://thomas.loc.gov/]
    • Indexes bills since 1993 by keyword, sponsor and date
    • Provides the full text and status

• Committee Publications
  • Includes hearings (testimony), committee prints (research reports), reports (recommendations on bills), and documents (Executive Branch communiques)

  • Selected Hearings on Debate Topic

    • General
      • Unlocking America's Energy Resources: Next Generation, CIS-NO: 2006-H361-64, CIS-DATE: 2006, SOURCE: Committee on Energy and Commerce. House, DOC-TYPE: Hearing , DATE: May 18, 2006., LENGTH: 131 p., SUDOC: Y4.C73/8:109-101., CIS/Index http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS74973
    • Biofuels
      • Path Toward the Broader Use of Biofuels: Enhancing the Federal Commitment to Research and Development To Meet the Growing Need, CIS-NO: 2008-H701-24, CIS-DATE: 2008, SOURCE: Committee on Science and Technology. House, DOC-TYPE: Hearing , DATE: June 14, 2007., LENGTH: 92 p., SUDOC: Y4.SCI2:110-40., CIS/Index
      • State of the Biofuels Industry, CIS-NO: 2007-S161-5, CIS-DATE: 2007, SOURCE: Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. Senate, DOC-TYPE: Hearing , DOC-NO: S. Hrg. 109-714, DATE: Apr. 26, 2006., LENGTH: 83 p., SUDOC: Y4.AG8/3:S.HRG.109-714., CIS/Index http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS79980
    • CAFE (mpg) Standards
      • National Security, Safety, Technology, and Employment Implications of Increasing the CAFE Standards, CIS-NO: 2006-S261-11, CIS-DATE: 2006, SOURCE: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Senate, DOC-TYPE: Hearing , DOC-NO: S. Hrg. 107-1133, DATE: Jan. 24, 2002., LENGTH: 101 p., SUDOC: Y4.C73/7:S.HRG.107-1133., CIS/Index http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS66835
      
      
      • Report of the National Academy of Sciences on the Effectiveness and Impact of Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) StandardsCIS-NO: 2002-S261-29, CIS-DATE: November, 2002, SOURCE: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Senate, DOC-TYPE: Hearing , DOC-NO: S. Hrg. 107-645, DATE: Aug. 2, 2001, LENGTH: iii+40 p., SUDOC: Y4.C73/7:S.HRG.107-645, CIS/Index
        http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS23805
    • Cap and Trade
      • Counting the Change: Accounting for the Fiscal Impacts of Controlling Carbon Emissions,CIS-NO: 2008-H261-13, CIS-DATE: 2008, SOURCE: Committee on Budget. House, DOC-TYPE: Hearing , DATE: Nov. 1, 2007., LENGTH: 64 p., SUDOC: Y4.B85/3:110-24., CIS/Index. http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=110_house_hearings&docid=f:39491.pdf

      • [Cap, Auction, and Trade: Auction and Revenue Recycling Under Carbon Cap and Trade], CIS-NO: Not Yet Assigned, SOURCE: Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, Select. House, DOC-TYPE: Hearing , DATE: Jan. 23, 2008., CIS/Index. http://globalwarming.house.gov/pubs/pubs?id=0026

    • Carbon Tax
      • Counting the Change: Accounting for the Fiscal Impacts of Controlling Carbon Emissions, CIS-NO: 2008-H261-13, CIS-DATE: 2008, SOURCE: Committee on Budget. House, DOC-TYPE: Hearing , DATE: Nov. 1, 2007., LENGTH: 64 p., SUDOC: Y4.B85/3:110-24., CIS/Index http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS91194
    • Clean Coal
      • Clean Coal, Oil and Gas Development, New Energy Opportunities Through Carbon Capture and Storage, Special Hearing, CIS-NO: 2008-S181-7, CIS-DATE: 2008, SOURCE: Committee on Appropriations. Senate, DOC-TYPE: Hearing , DOC-NO: S. Hrg. 110-265, DATE: Aug. 13, 2007., LENGTH: 68 p., SUDOC: Y4.AP6/2:S.HRG.110-265., CIS/Index http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS92316
      • Clean Coal Technology, CIS-NO: 2007-S311-59, CIS-DATE: 2007, SOURCE: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Senate, DOC-TYPE: Hearing , DOC-NO: S. Hrg. 110-174, DATE: Aug. 1, 2007., LENGTH: 104 p., SUDOC: Y4.EN2:S.HRG.110-174., CIS/Index http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS89306
      • Prospects for Advanced Coal Technologies: Efficient Energy Production, Carbon Capture and Sequestration, CIS-NO: 2008-H701-22, CIS-DATE: 2008, SOURCE: Committee on Science and Technology. House, DOC-TYPE: Hearing , DATE: May 15, 2007., LENGTH: 93 p., SUDOC: Y4.SCI2:110-29., CIS/Index http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS91978
    • Electric/Hybrid Cars
      • Hybrid Cars: Increasing Fuel Efficiency and Reducing Oil Dependence, CIS-NO: 2007-H401-54, CIS-DATE: 2007, SOURCE: Committee on Government Reform. House, DOC-TYPE: Hearing , DATE: July 20, 2006., LENGTH: 93 p., SUDOC: Y4.G74/7:F95/10., CIS/Index http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS85203
      • Ending Our Addiction to Oil: Are Advanced Vehicles and Fuels the Answer?, CIS-NO: 2007-H701-8, CIS-DATE: 2007, SOURCE: Committee on Science. House, DOC-TYPE: Hearing , DATE: June 5, 2006., LENGTH: 186 p., SUDOC: Y4.SCI2:109-52., CIS/Index http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS77561
    • Ethanol
      • Renewable Fuels Infrastructure, CIS-NO: 2007-S311-57, CIS-DATE: 2007, SOURCE: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Senate, DOC-TYPE: Hearing , DOC-NO: S. Hrg. 110-169, DATE: July 31, 2007., LENGTH: 82 p., SUDOC: Y4.EN2:S.HRG.110-169., CIS/Index http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS89983
      • Next Generation of Biofuels: Cellulosic Ethanol and the 2007 Farm Bill, CIS-NO: 2007-S161-34, CIS-DATE: 2007, SOURCE: Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. Senate, DOC-TYPE: Hearing , DOC-NO: S. Hrg. 110-160, DATE: Apr. 4, 2007., LENGTH: 127 p., SUDOC: Y4.AG8/3:S.HRG.110-160., CIS/Index http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS88612

    • Fuel Cells
      • Transportation Sector Fuel Efficiency, CIS-NO: 2007-S311-23, CIS-DATE: 2007, SOURCE: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Senate, DOC-TYPE: Hearing , DOC-NO: S. Hrg. 110-15, DATE: Jan. 30, 2007., LENGTH: 76 p., SUDOC: Y4.EN2:S.HRG.110-15., CIS/Index http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS81701
      • Vehicle and Fuels Technology: Next Generation, CIS-NO: 2006-H361-70, CIS-DATE: 2006, SOURCE: Committee on Energy and Commerce. House, DOC-TYPE: Hearing , DATE: May 24, 2006., LENGTH: 143 p., SUDOC: Y4.C73/8:109-103., CIS/Index http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS74955
      • Energy and Mineral Requirements for Renewable and Alternative Fuels Used for Transportation and Other Purposes, CIS-NO: 2006-H651-31, CIS-DATE: 2006, SOURCE: Committee on Resources. House, DOC-TYPE: Hearing , DATE: May 18, 2006., LENGTH: 58 p., SUDOC: Y4.R31/3:109-54., CIS/Index http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS74640

    • Peak Oil
      • Crude Oil: Uncertainty About Future Oil Supply Makes It Important To Develop a Strategy for Addressing a Peak and Decline in Oil Production, CIS-NO: 2007-J942-75, CIS-DATE: 2007, SOURCE: Government Accountability Office, DOC-TYPE: Print , DATE: Feb. 2007., LENGTH: 82 p., SUDOC: GA1.13:GAO-07-283., CIS/Index http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS80654
      • Understanding the Peak Oil Theory, CIS-NO: 2006-H361-9, CIS-DATE: 2006, SOURCE: Committee on Energy and Commerce. House, DOC-TYPE: Hearing , DATE: Dec. 7, 2005., LENGTH: 95 p., SUDOC: Y4.C73/8:109-41., CIS/Index http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS68126
    • Solar Power
      • Solar Energy Research and Advancement Act of 2007, CIS-NO: 2007-H703-21, CIS-DATE: 2007, SOURCE: Committee on Science and Technology. House, DOC-TYPE: Report, DOC-NO: H. Rpt. 110-303, DATE: Aug. 3, 2007., LENGTH: 79 p., SUDOC: Y1.1/8:110-303., CIS/Index http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS84717
      • Impact of Federal Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy R&D Programs, CIS-NO: 2005-H701-3, CIS-DATE: 2005, SOURCE: Committee on Science. House, DOC-TYPE: Hearing , DATE: May 19, 2004., LENGTH: 102 p., SUDOC: Y4.SCI2:108-59., CIS/Index http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS58332
    • Wind Energy
      • [Blowing in the Wind: Renewable Energy as the Answer to an Economy Adrift], CIS-NO: Not Yet Assigned, SOURCE: Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, Select. House, DOC-TYPE: Hearing , DATE: Mar. 6, 2008., CIS/Index
      • Gone with the Wind: Impacts of Wind Turbines on Birds and Bats, CIS-NO: 2007-H581-21, CIS-DATE: 2007, SOURCE: Committee on Natural Resources. House, DOC-TYPE: Hearing , DATE: May 1, 2007., LENGTH: 86 p., SUDOC: Y4.R31/3:110-22., CIS/Index http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS88300

  • Lists and Indexes of Committee Publications
    • Congressional Universe (UMich Only) [http://web.lexis-nexis.com/congcomp/]
      • Indexes published hearings (1789+), committee prints (1933+), and reports (1789+) by subject, keyword, committee, and date
      • Provides an abstract of publications
      • All publications are located in the Documents Center under their microfiche number
      • Paper copies for 1995+ are generally located in the Documents Center under their SUDOCS number (begins with Y1 or y4) with some prior to that time in Buhr Storage
      • Includes the full text of selected testimony beginning 1935

    • Legislative Sourcebook (Law Librarians' Society of Washington, D.C.)
      • Treasures include establishing persistent links to THOMAS and GPO legislative documents and GAO reports
      • Table lists Congresses, 1789-1999, plus serial set volumes and Presidential Executive Orders
      • Excellent lists of House and Senate hearings on the web

    • MIRLYN
      • University of Michigan Library Catalog lists individual hearings by keyword in title since 2003
      • All hearings should be in the Documents Center in paper; many also will have a public access web link

  • Key Committees
    • House Committee on Agriculture
      • Includes the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008.
      • Provides $1 billion in renewable energy projects.
    • House Committee on Energy and Commerce
      • Includes the Renewable Fuel Standard of 2005 (expanded in 2007 under the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007).
      • Provides guidelines for the deployment of ethanol, developing cellulosic biofuels, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
    • House Committee on Natural Resources
      • Includes the Energy Policy Reform and Revitalization Act of 2007.
      • Identifies and surveys potential sites for alternative energy use.
    • House Committee on Science and Technology
      • Includes the CLEAN Energy Act of 2007.
      • Redirects tax and other breaks from oil companies to the development of alternative energy sources and energy conservation.
      • Also includes the Solar Energy Research and Advancement Act of 2007, which suggests improvements to concentrate and better integrate solar energy with other energy resources.
    • House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
      • Includes the Saving Energy Through Public Transportation Act of 2008.
      • Provides $1.7 billion to public transit agencies to reduce fares and expand transit services.
      • Also provides provisions to increase the percentage of public transportation using alternative fuels.
    • House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming
      • Established in March 2007 to add urgency and resources to address the challenges of global warming and America's oil dependence.
      • Provides oversight of policies and technologies intended to meet these goals, but has no legislative authority of its own.
    • Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry
      • Recently held a hearing on how to create new jobs related to the creation, maintainance, and use of alternative energy sources.
      • Press release from the committee chairman on May 21, 2008 indicated that an attempt to override the presidential veto of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 would sooon be made.
    • Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation
      • Recent hearings include improving climate modeling software and coal gassification technologies.
      • In the near future, a hearing on the effects of climate change on coastal ecosystems in Washington will be held.
    • Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
      • Includes the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007.
      • Provides higher standards for automotive fuel economy, renewable energy sources, and energy efficiency.
      • Also provides for greenhouse gas reduction and personnel training for new jobs in emerging energy technology fields.
    • Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works
      • Includes the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act.
      • Provides a strong outline for the expansion of alternative energy sources and reduction of global warming pollution.

• Congressional Record [Web]
  • Congressional Universe (UMich Only) [http://www.lexis-nexis.com/congcomp/]
    • Indexes Congressional Record since 1985 by keyword, speaker, and date
    • Provides the full text
    • Located under Congressional Publications
  • THOMAS [http://thomas.loc.gov]
    • Indexes speeches on the floor of Congress by subject, Member of Congress, and date since 1993

Laws

• United States Code
  • United States Code (via Congressional Universe - UMich Only) [Web]
    • Search existing laws in force by keyword or U.S. Code citation
    • Updated within days of the passage of a new law
    • Provides U.S. Code text as well as references to bill and public law text
    • Locate under Bills, Laws, and Regulations

  • United States Code (via Cornell Law School)
    • Text of all laws in force
    • Searchable by popular title of law, title and section of the U.S. Code, or keyword
    • Currently the best interface

• Energy Policy Act of 2005
  • Provided incentives for increasing supply of all types of energy
  • Did not permit drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge or establish regulations against price gouging

  Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (PL 110-140, H.R. 6)

  • Requires manufacturers' automotive fleets to average 35 MPH by 2020
  • Provides competitive grants for developing plug-in electric vehicles
  • Raises requirements for the use of biofuels and establishes competitive grants for research

• Strategic Petroleum Reserve Fill Suspension and Consumer Protection Act of 2008
  • H.R. 6022 sent to President Bush on May 15, 2008; Public Law 110-232.
  • Calls for suspension of filling the Strategic Petroleum Reserve until the end of 2008
  • House Roll Call Vote on May 13 and passed by Senate in unanimous consent on May 14, 2008
  • Department of Energy press release implementing the law

• Code of Federal Regulations
  • Code of Federal Regulations via Congressional Universe (UMich Only)
    • Search full text by keyword and agency
    • Updated every two weeks
  • Code of Federal Regulations (GPO Access)
    • Search CFR by keyword or a combination of title, part, and page
    • Corresponding paper copy in Documents Center as JK 416.A5-Ref

Information Locators

• Firstgov
  • Focused on e-government particularly at the national level
  • You can used the Advanced Search and limit your terms to Non-Federal to index state government information

• State and Local Government via Piper Resources
  • Comprehensive link for state government web sites, updated daily
  • Includes U.S. Territories
  • Links to federal and non-government national organizations serving state and local governments

State Laws and Regulations

• State Law and Government (Washburn University Law Library)
  • Links to main state government web sites and constitutions
  • Links to state laws, legislative information, court decisions, and Congressional delegation web sites as available

• State Capital Universe (UMich Only)
  • Indexes current codes and administrative regulations of all states
  • May be searched by state and keyword or across states by keyword
  • Provides full text and notes
  • Includes Martindale-Hubbell Law Digest
  • Sample search: greenhouse gas

• State Legal Resources on the Web
  • Matrix listing the main web sites of all 50 states as well as where to find bills, laws, and regulations

Associations of State Governments

• American Association of State and Highway Transportation Officials
  • General Resources
    • Two weekly journals, beginning 1996, on federal legislative and regulatory issues regarding transportation
    • Information about the organization and its positions
  • Specific Resources of Importance
    • Topics: Environment: provides news releases meetings, stories, and related websites to environmental and climate change concerns related to energy used for transportation (ex. "Primer on Transportation and Climate Change Issued by AASHTO)
    • Standing Committee on the Environment: includes minutes, presentations, committee rules, a strategic plan, and other helpful resources
    • Reauthorization and Climate Change: presentation given by John Horsley on January 14, 2008 about automobile influence on climate change

• American Public Transit Association
  • General Resources
    • Legislative and organizational information
    • Extracts from the National Transit Data Base, including data on the top 30 municipal transit systems, their finances and ridership
    • National data by subject on bus and light rail vehicles, mileage, fares, injuries, and finances
  • Specific Resources of Importance
    • Transit Statistics: includes statistics about by date, mode, subject (i.e. Energy & Environment), producing agency, and US produced statistics
    • Passenger Transport Articles Archive: allows users to search for articles on a particular subject by headline, text, topic, or date (one example is a topic search for "climage change)
    • Sustainability and Public Transportation: information on the association's attempt to improve sustainability efforts
    • Relevant Reports and Brochures:
      • Public Transportation Reduces Greenhouse Gases and Conserves Energy
      • The Broader Connection Between Public Transportation, Energy Conservation and Greenhouse Gas Reduction
      • Public Transportation's Contribution to Greenhouse Gas Reduction

• Appalachian Regional Commission
  • Information by Topic: Energy: includes an overview, highlights, research, resources, objectives and goals, and a number of other useful resources
  • Promotes economic development in Appalachia
  • Grant information and a list of applicable counties in each state
  • Policy documents and testimony before Congress

• Colorado River Water Users Association
  • General Resources
    • Geographic, geologic, recreational, power and environmental information on Arizona, Colorado, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming
    • Description of the Ten Tribes
    • Association resolutions, compacts, and environmental initiatives
  • Specific Resources of Interest
    • Colorado River as a Power Source: provides a general overview of the river's importance in energy production, some general statistics, and other useful resources
    • Interactive Map: the right scroll bar of the interactive map provides links to websites of energy producing projects along the Colorado River

• Council of State Governments
  • Energy and Environment: provides information on the CSG task force, policy positions and resolutions, publications, state legislation, state programs, interstate compacts, and includes a biobased legislation database
  • States Advancing Solar (An Initiative of Clean Energy Group): provides background on solar power projects in the U.S.
  • Organizational information and telnet interface for assistance via e-mail
  • Index of CSG publications

• Great Lakes Commission
  • General Resources:
    • Describes its program areas: administration, environment, transportation, commmunication and regional cooperation
    • Full text of regional agreements
    • Selected publications available in full text, including statistical analyses of the Great Lakes border states
  • Specific Resource of Interest
    • Renewable Energy in the Great Lakes Region (GLIN): provides an overview and news articles, research, and links to additional resources

• Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission
  • General Resources
    • Organization of 36 oil and gas producing states
    • History, rules, organization, publications and resolutions of the compact
    • Guidelines for Exploration and Production Data
    • Links to related oil and gas web sites as well as member states
  • Specific Resources of Interest
    • Carbon Sequestration: studies to see how carbon dioxide (98% of which was emitted by fossil fuels) could be stored and changed to reduce harmful effects
    • Model Statues: the IOGCC creates guidelines for oil and gas industries to improve their practices in regards to conservation and environmental impact
    • National Energy Policy: policy created by the IOGCC to outline ways to address the ever growing energy crisis in the US

• National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners
  • Resolution Search: allows users to search resolutions by committee (ex. Committee on Energy and Resources and the Environment), year, and keyword
  • Provides links to congressional testimony
  • Links to state government public utility sites and related organizational web sites
  • A number of committees of interest has websites that might be of use

• National Association of State Departments of Agriculture
  • Describes its publications and regulatory concerns in a general manner
  • Links to agricultural organizations

• National Conference of State Legislatures
  • Issue Areas: Energy: contains publications, news releases, statistics, presentations, and other materials on renewable and alternative energy formats
  • Policies of the Agriculture, Environment, and Energy Committee: provides a brief overview of the views of state legislators in regard to national legislation
  • Newsletters, policies, and testimony on federal-state relations
  • Organizational information, publications, and conferences
  • Extensive links to state legislative web sites

• National Governors' Association
  • General Resources
    • Extensive list and full text of policies on federal-state relations, economic development, human and natural resources
    • Issue briefs, press releases
    • Background and the administration of welfare reform
    • Links to governors of the states and territories, their biographies, election status, and web sites
  • Specific Resources of Interest
    • Securing a Clean Energy Future: provides information on the task forces efforts and findings
    • Environment, Energy, and Natural Resources: provides information for best practices and current research

Search Engines

• Inter-Governmental Organization Search (Indiana University)
  • Search web pages of 350 international organizations, such as the OECD and United Nations, for targeted information on alternative fuels

• Non-Governmental Organization Search
  • Search over 1000 U.S. and international non-governmental organizations, such as Worldwatch Institute

Individual Organizations

• Gateway to the UN System's Work on Climate Change
  • Links on the lefthand side of the page to all of the UN committees and organizations addressing climate change
  • Studies and reports from the World Health Organization, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, United Nations Environmental Programm, World Meteorological Organization
  • UN system news
  • UN in the Field has examples of UN climate change projects

• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
  • Established by the World Meteorological Organization and UNEP, this working group assesses the physical science behind climate change, likely impacts, and recommended policy initiatives
  • Climate Change 2007: Summary of Policy Makers
    • Released on February 2, 2007, report says continued global warming inevitable
    • Major cause are greenhouse gases
    • Expects world temperatures to rise 2-11 degrees Fahrenheit in next 100 years
  • Its Synthesis Report #4
    • Released on November 17, 2007
    • World can expect 4.5 foot rise in oceans in next 1000 years
    • If carbon dioxide not capped by 2015 and reductions begin, Europe will lose species, Africa will suffer from water shortages, Asia from flooding, North America from longer and hotter heat waves

• Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
  • Background
    • Organization of major developed countries, including Western Europe, Japan, United States, Canada, and Australia
    • Numerous subagencies under its umbrella

  • European Conference of Ministers of Transport
    • Provides working papers free on its web site
    • Publications include transport traffic, ecodriving, biofuels, and carbon emissions
    • Additional publications available through Source OECD

  • International Energy Agency
    • Major publications, such as Oil Information and Energy Prices and Taxes appear in Source OECD

  • Source OECD (UMich Only)
    • Full text of monographs, journals, and statistical databases issued by the various OECD bodies
    • Searching in the upper righthand corner is the easiest approach to identifying a wide range of materials, e.g. biofuels, nuclear power, gasoline prices

• Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries
  • Current prices of crude oil (which may be less than commodity markets)
  • Production plans and OPEC reserves

University of Michigan

• University of Michigan High School Debate Institute [http://www.michigandebate.com/]
  • Description of various debate programs, application forms and financial aid
  • Outline of the issues, information for ordering the debate handbook
  • Web resources

• Undergraduate Library [http://www.lib.umich.edu/ugl/classes/debate/]
  • Library resources, libraries on campus and debate hours

Internet Search Engines

• Excite [http://www.excite.com/]
  • Extremely fast index to the contents of web pages
• Fast Search [http://www.alltheweb.com/]
  • Fastest search engine on the web
  • Links to over 2 million web pages
• Google Uncle Sam Search [http://www.google.com/is/usgov]
  • Fast search engine which indexes only .gov and .mil web sites
  • Excellent for obtaining U.S. policy information

Research Guides

• Searchpath Research Tutorial [http://www.lib.umich.edu/ugl/searchpath/]
  • Web tutorial on finding books and journal articles as well as evaluating the web
  • Citing sources
• Political Science Reference Tools
  • Dictionaries, biographies, maps, thesauri
• Citation Guides
  • Guides to citing online sources and government documents

Todd Baker, Documents Center Assistant
Justin Joque, Documents Center Assistant
Ray Walling, Documents Center Assistant
Grace York, Coordinator, Documents Center
University of Michigan Library Send suggestions to govdocs@umich.edu

http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/debate08.html