After decades of keeping my head in the sand I'm being drawn back in. But I'm looking for positive examples of change and, interestingly, as with ZOOX, some of the main people involved are women.
Join me in appreciating the humor as Mindy crosses her arms, strides across the screen and ends on a note of irony about our "humanity."
After a decade of (mostly) avoiding politics, I'm posting this one so I'll have it as a reference.
I've found it interesting how many URLs "disappear"...sort of like South American political dissenters. With that in mind I've copied the content of this URL.
https://www.energy.gov/articles/department-energy-announces-new-senior-leaders
A question that occurs is: What were the credentials of the people replaced? Another is: Will the changes make any difference? An insider friend once pointed out: "It's the long-term bureaucrats in charge of the day-to-day operations that make the decisions."
If you watched the Advocates For the West Social Distancing Hour (SDH) webinar yesterday (27, January, 2021) evening, you saw/heard Tanya Henderson, Executive Director of The Western Slope Conservation Center, describe ten years of interaction with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) over a decision about public lands near Paonia, Colorado. The public has consistently expressed opposition to BLM's plans and the State of Colorado has filed lawsuits contesting BLM's proposed actions. When the final "Plan" was issued it was speculated it was dictated by someone "on high" as it included NONE of the suggestions, ideas or desires expressed (by locals) in the "scoping" sessions.
If you DIDN'T watch the video, it can be seen on The Advocates' YOUTUBE CHANNEL HERE.
SDH stands for Social Distancing Hour.
The Western Slope Conservation Center, the small non-profit organization most closely involved (adverb before verb) with the decision-making process, has a 40-year history of "solutions-based" negotiation. With Advocates for the West's support, they have filed their first lawsuit to contest the BLM's decision (to open vast lands to oil & gas drilling).
I wonder...we've had SEVERAL administrations over the past ten years. Why, after ten years of input from citizens of the western slope -- the area south of Gunnison -- and with complete disregard for the wishes of The People -- did the BLM decide the way it did? Who made the decision? What were the concerns that influenced them?
It was interesting to watch Ms. Henderson describe the import of The Western Slope Conservation Center's decision to break with their "solutions-based" ethic and resort to legal action.
It'll be interesting to see what influence, if any, the new appointees will have.
You youngsters may wanna put a note in yer Google calendar to check back in a decade or so.
Tarak Shah to Serve as Chief of Staff, David G. Huizenga to Serve as Acting (Interim) Secretary
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced new Biden-Harris Administration senior leadership appointees. These new leaders will direct policy at DOE, coordinate across the Administration, and enact President Joe Biden’s vision for bold action on the climate crisis and on safeguarding the Americans most affected by it. These experienced professionals reflect President Biden’s pledge to equip his Administration with a team that represents America’s diversity.
Tarak Shah will serve as Chief of Staff, becoming the first person of color, first Indian-American, and first openly LGBTQ person to serve in that position at DOE. (abt The Council On Environmental Quality - where Mr. Shah used to work - & what it does)
“These talented and diverse public servants will deliver on President Biden’s goal to tackle the climate crisis and build an equitable clean energy future,” said DOE Chief of Staff Tarak Shah (Linked in profile). “Guided by their expertise, breadth of experience, and following the science, these Department of Energy appointees will contribute to creating a clean energy economy that produces millions of good-paying American jobs and safeguards the planet for future generations.”
13.Aug.2024 Update on Tarak Shah.
Mr. Shah appears to be working as a Research Scientist at Human Rights Data Analysis Group (HRDAG)
Mr. Shah appears at 0:49 & 2:08 in this video about the Human Rights Data Analysis Group receiving the Rafto Foundation Prize in 2021.
In addition to the Biden-Harris appointees, David G. Huizenga will serve as Acting Secretary of Energy (pending Senate confirmation of Jennifer Granholm See: Granholm's book about her 2 terms as Governor of Michigan). Huizenga was most recently Associate Principal Deputy Administrator for the National Nuclear Security Administration and has been a career employee at DOE since 1987.
Biographies of the appointees are below in alphabetical order:
Full disclosure - I was raised to abhor prejudice be it racial or other...whatever that might mean. In most cases, mention of peoples' sexual orientation feels, to me, salacious. I mean, it's really only relevant, isn't it, if you want to date the person?
Shalanda H. Baker, Deputy Director for Energy Justice
Shalanda H. Baker was mostly recently a professor of law, public policy, and urban affairs at Northeastern University.
She was the co-founder and co-director of the Initiative for Energy Justice, which provides technical law and policy support to communities on the front lines of climate change. Baker served as an Air Force officer prior to her honorable discharge pursuant to the then existing “Don't Ask, Don't Tell” policy, and became a vocal advocate for repeal of the policy. She earned a B.S. in Political Science from the U.S. Air Force Academy, a J.D. from Northeastern University, and LL.M. (Latin: Legum Magister, Master of Laws) from the University of Wisconsin.
Vanessa Z. Chan, Director, Office of Technology Transitions (Chief Commercialization Officer)
Vanessa Z. Chan comes to the Biden-Harris Administration from the University of Pennsylvania where she was the Brassington Professor of Practice and the Undergraduate Chair of the Materials Science and Engineering Department. She has spent the past 20 years helping large companies commercialize their technologies and revamping the academic curriculum of engineering students to make a greater social impact. Chan earned her Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a B.S. in Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania.
Robert Cowin, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Engagement
Robert Cowin was most recently director of government affairs for the Climate & Energy program at the Union of Concerned Scientists. Prior to that, Cowin worked for the National Environmental Trust, where he helped organize national campaigns focused on climate change, clean energy, and clean air. He holds a master’s degree in international relations from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, and a B.A. from Boston College.
Tanya Das, Chief of Staff, Office of Science
Tanya Das was most recently a Professional Staff Member on the U.S. House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, where she worked on legislation on a range of issues in clean energy and manufacturing policy. She earned her Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and her B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
Christopher Davis, Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Energy
Christopher Davis served all eight years of the Obama Administration — first in the White House Office of Legislative Affairs and then in several senior roles at the Department of Energy. Prior to that, he worked for the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Reform and the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce. More recently, Davis worked with Co-Equal, a non-profit organization providing expertise and knowledge to Congress on oversight and legislation.
Ali Douraghy, Chief of Staff, Office of the Under Secretary for Science & Energy
Ali Douraghy was most recently Chief Strategy Officer for Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's Earth & Environmental Sciences Area. He led the New Voices program at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, which brings diverse leader perspectives into science policy. He received his Ph.D. in biomedical physics from the UCLA School of Medicine.
Caroline Grey, White House Liaison
Caroline Grey worked for Biden for President as Expansion States Director, managing distributed engagement in 33 states. Previously, she worked on the presidential campaign of Senator Elizabeth Warren. Grey started her career as an organizer for then-Senator Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign and worked on the 2012 Obama re-election campaign. She co-founded Civis Analytics, a data science firm.
Todd Kim, Deputy General Counsel for Litigation and Enforcement
Todd Kim most recently was a partner at Reed Smith LLP, and before that was the first Solicitor General for the District of Columbia, serving in that capacity more than 11 years. Kim graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law School, where he was an executive editor of the Harvard Law Review, and received his undergraduate degree magna cum laude in biology from Harvard College.
Jennifer Jean Kropke, Director of Energy Jobs
Jennifer Jean Kropke served as the first Director of Workforce and Environmental Engagement for IBEW Local Union 11 and the National Electrical Contractors’ Association-Los Angeles’ Labor Management Cooperation Committee. She focused on creating clean energy, port electrification, and zero emission transportation opportunities for union members. She is a graduate of the UCLA School of Law.
Andrew Light, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Affairs
Andrew Light has worked on international climate and energy policy in and outside of government for the last 15 years. From 2013 to 2016, he served as Senior Adviser and India Counselor to the U.S. Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Change, as well as a climate adviser in the Secretary of State's Office of Policy Planning. Light was an international climate and energy policy volunteer for the Biden campaign and was one of the chief architects of Governor Jay Inslee’s plan for global climate mobilization. He completed his undergraduate work at Mercer University and doctoral work at the University of California, Riverside with a three-year post-doctoral fellowship in environmental risk assessment at the University of Alberta.
David A. Mayorga, Director of Public Affairs
David A. Mayorga most recently served as Director of Communications for the Attorney General for the District of Columbia Karl A. Racine. Previously he was Senior Spokesperson for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and led communications for DOE’s Solar Energy Technologies Office. Mayorga, an immigrant and openly LGBTQ person, was the first in his immediate family to attend a four-year college. He earned a B.A. from the University of Florida and began his professional career at the U.S. House Committee on Science.
Shara Mohtadi, Chief of Staff, Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy
Shara Mohtadi has focused her career advising policymakers and international organizations on mitigating climate change and advancing clean energy policies. She most recently led the America’s Pledge initiative and managed grants focused on the coal to clean energy transition in Asia and Australia at Bloomberg Philanthropies. During the Obama Administration, Mohtadi served as an advisor for the energy and environment portfolio at the White House, in the Office of Management and Budget. She received her undergraduate and graduate degrees from Columbia University.
Ali Nouri, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs
Ali Nouri is a molecular biologist and most recently was the President of the Federation of American Scientists, which addresses global health and security risks. Prior to that, he served as a U.S. Senate staffer for a decade and served as an advisor in the office of then UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. Nouri obtained a B.A. in biology from Reed College and received his Ph.D. from Princeton University.
Tarak Shah, Chief of Staff
Tarak Shah is an energy policy expert who has spent the last decade working on combating climate change. At the Biden-Harris Transition, Shah was the Personnel lead for the Climate and Science team. From 2014-2017, he served as Chief of Staff to the Under Secretary for Science and Energy at DOE. Shah has also worked on political campaigns, including President Obama's Senate and presidential campaigns. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois and his M.B.A from Cornell University.
Kelly Speakes-Backman, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy
Kelly Speakes-Backman most recently served as the first CEO of the Energy Storage Association, the national trade organization for the energy storage industry. Speakes-Backman has spent more than 20 years working in energy and environmental issues in the public, NGO and private sectors. In 2019, she was honored by The Cleanie Awards as Woman of the Year.
Narayan Subramanian, Legal Advisor, Office of General Counsel
Narayan Subramanian was a Visiting Research Fellow at the Center for Law, Energy, & the Environment at Berkeley Law leading a project tracking regulatory rollbacks, and served as a Fellow at the Initiative for Sustainable Energy Policy at Johns Hopkins University and Data for Progress. Subramanian holds a J.D. from Columbia Law School, an M.P.A. from the School of Public & International Affairs at Princeton University, and a B.S. in Earth & Environmental Engineering from Columbia University.
Shuchi Talati, Chief of Staff, Office of Fossil Energy
Shuchi Talati was most recently a Senior Policy Advisor at Carbon180 where she focused on policies to build sustainable and equitable technological carbon removal at scale. She also served as a policy volunteer on the Biden-Harris campaign. Dr. Talati earned a B.S. from Northwestern University, an M.A. from Columbia University, and a Ph.D. from Carnegie Mellon University.
Jennifer Wilcox, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy
2018 Ted Talk
Jennifer Wilcox was most recently the Presidential Distinguished Professor of Chemical Engineering and Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania, and a Senior Fellow at the World Resources Institute. Wilcox's work examines the nexus of energy and the environment, developing strategies to minimize negative climate impacts associated with society's dependence on fossil fuels. Wilcox holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering and M.A. in Chemistry from the University of Arizona and B.A. in Mathematics from Wellesley College.
Ms. Wilcox's book, Carbon Capture
Springer; March 28, 2012
ISBN-13 : 978-1461422143
Avi Zevin, Deputy General Counsel for Energy Policy
Avi Zevin is an attorney with experience advancing policies that enable the provision of carbon-free, reliable, and cost-effective electricity. He was a senior attorney and Affiliated Scholar at the Institute for Policy Integrity at New York University School of Law and an attorney at Van Ness Feldman LLP. Zevin holds a J.D., magna cum laude, from New York University School of Law, an M.P.A. (Master in Public Administration) from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and a B.A., with high honors, from the University of California, Berkeley.
SUGGESTED READINGS
What is the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC history)
Jay Inslee's, Governor of Washington (the state) Global Climate Mobilization Plan
This note came from Senator Heinrich today....
Dear Friend,
The livelihoods of people of color have long been rooted in the outdoors, but they haven't always had equitable access to public lands. I am proud that New Mexico outdoor equity advocates and community leaders are leading the way in breaking down some of these barriers with our state's first-of-its-kind Outdoor Equity Fund, which provides grant funding to nonprofits, local governments, and Tribes to purchase recreation equipment and cover the costs of transportation to access public lands and outdoor places.
This week, I welcomed the launch of Outdoor F.U.T.U.R.E., a national outdoor equity initiative created by Black, Indigenous, and leaders of color from states and organizations across the country. This coalition of racially and ethnically diverse organizations is leading a national initiative to transform the face of the great outdoors, and help me introduce national outdoor equity legislation to make our parks and public lands places that everyone can enjoy. I encourage you to read more about this exciting initiative in the article below from Backpacker.
I strongly believe that we must devote real resources to expanding opportunities for those in communities who have been historically excluded and ensure we are supporting the next generation of stewards of our air, land, water and wildlife.
Sincerely,
MARTIN HEINRICH
United States Senator
Here's a link to the Backpacker article Senator Heinrich mentions.
I DID sign up for their newsletter, but I escheeewWWWW!!! instagram.
An article about the importance of the out-of-doors...
https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/reports/2020/07/21/487787/the-nature-gap/
As a result of the recent election, several bloggers and friends expressed renewed hope. Below is my response.
All well and good to hope, but the closeness of the election shows a nation greatly divided in its ideals.
24.Nov.2023
I'm clearing stuff off the desktop at Michelle's and came across the file below. I felt it strong enough to post...if, for no other reason, than as a memento. I wrote it 9.Nov.2020.
All well and good to hope (now that he's gone), but the closeness of the election shows a nation greatly divided in its ideals.
Regardless of who is president, the fact that we the people have such differing -- and almost equally divided -- opinions about the direction of our future does not portend well.
Methinks we do ourselves a disservice to think so simplistically....that a different president will make that much difference. The fact Donald Trump even attained office should be a major warning signal, but the fact that everyone believes The President is actually responsible, points up how little we realize there are HUGE machinations that go on behind the scenes...and his actions have to be ratified.
We can hope a new president may be able to make some positive changes, but he will not be able to neutralize the avarice and strivings toward power that are motivating many others throughout the world. The Chinese are only BEGINNING to come into the 21st century; and they've done it in a mere 15 years. As they continue to leave us farther in the dust Americans will have increasingly little impact on the economies they, the Chinese, will come to control.
With the threat of nuclear proliferation increasingly real, our military can no longer be relied on as a deterrent. And we've shown our hand to be based in our own imperialist self-interests too many times for people to any longer take seriously our claims of "promoting democracy."
Biden and Harris may have won, but I'm afraid we, as a country, have lost. It will take more than a new president to keep us on the playing field, let alone compete. You can hope all you want, but if you listen to what's being said (by folks from around the globe) at the Rim of Grand Canyon, at Bryce National Monument, at MOMA San Francisco, people are dissing us for our provincialism.
Not that they don't have problems of their own, but on top of the stupid presidents, it's America's condescending attitude toward the rest of the world that has fostered enmity toward us.
We need to focus on cleaning up our own house, but, unfortunately, the world isn't going to stop and wait for us. And increasingly that means we're just going to fall further behind.
I blame our education system; the fact that we've been willing to accept its dumbing down has only served to make it easier to convince folks there're simple answers to our difficulties. Race prejudice, religious differences, over-population have yet to respond to slogans.
I purposely avoid politics, but was recently sent the video of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez asserting herself as her parents' child. It moved me to contribute to Democracy Now and I hope by posting it it will inspire you to do the same.
After watching Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez, I noticed the video of Edward Snowden. I'd not heard of his book and had to nod with satisfaction at how it achieved recognition....via the Attorney General's attempt to ban it.
Anyway, I thought these two people show the meaning -- regardless of our/your political stance -- of courage.
I came of age with the war in Vietnam. I saw the results of the lies they perpetrated -- in the bodies of my friends who died...and I heard the screams of the nightmares from the ones who lived.
I vote at the local level for judges who work to end drunk driving; for commissioners who take their responsibilities as seriously as their forthcoming pensions.
I vote for the bond issues that fund the library and other civic needs; for street maintenance and city beautification, but I've NEVER voted for a President. Maybe someday there'll be one worthy, but in the nearly 50 years I've been eligible, the only thing I've seen is how each has outdone their predecessor in proving the Presidency is nothing but a scapegoat.
I voted for Senator Heinrich. And I'm continually amazed at how he balances the myriad interests of New Mexico. Included in the mix are: several of the nation's deadliest engineering sites including Los Alamos and Sandia National Laboratories, innumerable tribes of Native Americans; the Hispanics; Asians (Albuquerque was one of 7 cities in the nation selected to provide asylum for Vietnamese refugees), our miniscule and (as far as I know) totally segregated black neighborhood, the Kirtland Addition (where my 1st wife and I bought our house when we moved to Albuquerque in 1976) and the increasing number of East Indians, Middle-Easterners, and, of course, all those from the bunches above and beyond whose sexual proclivities, persuasion, orientation and/or identity only coheres under an acronym that grows ever longer as we look to provide labels that lend dignity to diversity....something you'd think would just come naturally and obviate the need for labels.
But this just in from Senator Heinrich:
Dear Friend,
Today, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg became the first woman in American history to lie in state in the U.S. Capitol. I am filled with gratitude for Justice Ginsburg's extraordinary life that inspired America. For over a quarter of a century, she served on our nation's highest court with conviction and intellect, inspiring generations of women and young girls to stand firm in their fight for equality.
Justice Ginsburg was a champion for women - and all Americans - and an icon whose legacy will endure. Whomever fills her seat on the Supreme Court will have an enormous impact on all of our lives. A majority-conservative Supreme Court risks everything New Mexico values. It places at immediate risk access to affordable health care, women's rights, LGBTQ rights, workers' rights, voting rights, civil rights, addressing climate change, and so much else.
Never in the history of the United States has a Supreme Court vacancy been filled this close to a presidential election. Never. That shouldn't change now. We are barely over a month from the election. Voters in many states have already begun casting their ballots. It is absolutely critical that we honor the final wishes of Justice Ginsburg and fill her seat only after the next president is inaugurated.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell set the precedent for this very situation when he blocked Judge Merrick Garland's nomination for 293 days during the 2016 election. Majority Leader McConnell and all Senate Republicans should be held accountable to their own standard. Anything less is hypocrisy at its worst and a grave injustice to the American people.
Senate Republicans' reckless rush to confirm President Trump's nominee to fill Justice Ginsburg's seat also demonstrates just how out of touch their priorities are. Millions of Americans are struggling to make ends meet and protect their health in the midst of the pandemic. After refusing for months to earnestly negotiate urgent relief measures, Senate Republicans are now ready to move heaven and earth to ram through their Supreme Court pick. It's disgraceful and a true disservice to the people we represent.
I understand if you are feeling despair and powerlessness in the face of all of this injustice. However, I want to remind you that your voice is still one of the most powerful forces in our country. I encourage you to keep letting me know your thoughts on this and other issues. And never stop raising your voice and fighting for our democratic values and principles.
I'm right there with you.
Sincerely,
MARTIN HEINRICH
United States Senator
I admit to being a bit puzzled. But perhaps it's just further evidence of my Commie-Pinko leanings, but I've never thought of the "rights" mentioned above as "Democratic" values or principles; they seem like human values and principles.
