Kate Sheppard is Grist's D.C.-based political reporter. When she's not braving the wilds of the Hill, she's out searching in vain for bike lanes and defending the honor of the Garden State, her native land. She has also written for The American Prospect, In These Times, The Guardian, Bitch, and MSN.

Blog Entries by Kate Sheppard

League Of Conservation Voters Endorses Republican Senator For Reelection

8 Comments | Posted October 17, 2008 | 09:27 AM (EST)


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The League of Conservation Voters has announced that it's endorsing Republican Maine Sen. Susan Collins in her bid for reelection.

"Sen. Collins is a leader and a champion for the environment, reaching across party lines to introduce and support bipartisan pieces of legislation that hold oil companies...

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What The Candidates Said About Energy

11 Comments | Posted October 16, 2008 | 08:43 AM (EST)


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The third presidential debate yielded nothing new from Barack Obama or John McCain on climate or energy policy, but both candidates pointed to an environmental issue to demonstrate their independence from their respective parties.

When McCain challenged Obama to name a major issue on which he's differed with...

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Sarah Palin's Mixed Record On Renewable Energy

Posted September 11, 2008 | 09:21 AM (EST)


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McCain VP pick Sarah Palin has a record of being both a friend and foe of Big Oil in her home state of Alaska. But she's also made a point of voicing support for renewable and "clean" energy sources. Flashback one week to Palin's big convention...

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Palin's Acceptance Speech Bullish On Energy

Posted September 4, 2008 | 09:03 AM (EST)


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Sarah Palin's much-anticipated VP acceptance speech on Wednesday night included a lot of energy talk -- and extensive criticism of Barack Obama.

"We are expected to govern with integrity, good will, clear convictions, and a servant's heart," she said. "I pledge to all Americans that I...

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Eco-activists Pleased With Biden's Green Record

Posted August 25, 2008 | 11:29 AM (EST)


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In a 3 a.m. blast of emails and text messages, Democrat Barack Obama announced that his selection for a vice presidential candidate is Delaware Sen. Joe Biden. And, for the most part, representatives from the environmental community were pleased with the news they awoke to Saturday morning.

...
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Who's Getting The Oil Industry's Support? Obama Favored By Exxon Employees, McCain Raised More Oil Money

Posted August 11, 2008 | 01:17 PM (EST)


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Barack Obama put out an ad earlier this week accusing rival John McCain of being "in the pocket of Big Oil," and the Democratic National Committee launched Exxon-McCain 2008, a website to promote the idea that the Republican candidate is in bed with the oil industry....

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Democratic And Republican Conventions Vow To Be Greener Than Ever

Posted August 11, 2008 | 12:58 PM (EST)


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Both the Democratic and Republican national conventions have pledged to go greener this year. And they've drawn mockery for their efforts -- particularly the Democrats, who say they'll be putting on "the most sustainable political convention in modern American history."

A Wall Street Journal...

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Enviros Upset Over Obama's Drilling Stance, Happy With Rest of Energy Plan

Posted August 5, 2008 | 08:59 AM (EST)


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Many in the environmental community are annoyed by Barack Obama's change of position on offshore drilling, even while they applaud his comprehensive energy plan.

The Democratic candidate had staunchly opposed new drilling on the outer continental shelf, but then shifted his position on Friday to say he...

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Governors Stand in Way of Offshore Drilling, Even if Congress Approves

Posted August 4, 2008 | 09:05 AM (EST)


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President Bush keeps repeating his call for Congress to lift the moratorium on offshore drilling. Republican presidential candidate John McCain is consistently drilling home the same message. And on Wednesday of last week, Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne said that just in case the ban...

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Senator Ted Stevens' (Non-) Environmental Legacy -- And The Alaska Senate Race

Posted July 30, 2008 | 08:24 AM (EST)


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Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens -- the longest-serving Republican in the Senate and a longtime thorn in the side of enviros -- was indicted today.


A federal grand jury in Washington, D.C., charged the 84-year-old senator with seven counts of making false statements on his financial...

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Senate Candidate Discusses Energy And The Environment In Rural America

Posted July 22, 2008 | 09:17 AM (EST)


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Jim Slattery, a candidate for U.S. Senate in Kansas, dropped by Netroots Nation this morning to talk about how progressives can make inroads in the heartland. His panel, "Rural America and the Progressive Movement," took a look at some of the reasons rural voters shouldn't be written...

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Senate Democrats Under Pressure To Lift Offshore Drilling Ban

Posted July 18, 2008 | 09:20 AM (EST)


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Democrats in Congress are under increasing pressure to lift the ban on offshore oil drilling, The Wall Street Journal reported this week ($ub. req'd).

Last week, some Democrats signaled that they would be willing to endorse offshore drilling. And on Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid...

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The Hole Truth

Posted July 16, 2008 | 12:31 PM (EST)


The EPA released a proposal for a new rule on Tuesday that lays some of the groundwork needed to get carbon capture and storage technology up and running.

If formally adopted, the new rule would create a new class of injection wells under the authority of the Safe Drinking...

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What's Not The Matter With Kansas: Kate Sheppard Talks To Governor Kathleen Sebelius

Posted July 11, 2008 | 08:42 AM (EST)


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Among the many names swirling in the Obama VP buzz is that of Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius. A second-term Democratic governor in what's traditionally seen as a bastion of conservatism, Sebelius earned national attention as the chair of the Democratic Governors Association in 2007 and for delivering...

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The EPA Documents The White House Doesn't Want You To See

Posted July 2, 2008 | 02:40 PM (EST)


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Brad Johnson over at Wonk Room acquired a copy of the EPA's recommendations on regulating greenhouse-gas emissions that the White House has been trying so hard to hide.

The documents give you a good idea why: EPA officials concluded that the benefits of new, tougher standards...

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