What's Happening in Energy

Big Oil, Big Profits: Industry Tops $120 Billion in 2012

As annual financial reports come in, it’s clear the oil and gas industry is looking to continue its decade long trend of being one of the...

TCS Testifies before House Oversight and Government Reform Committee

Ryan Alexander testified before House Oversight and Government Reform Committee...

TCS Moderates Congressional Briefings on Reforming the Renewable Fuel Standard

            February 5, 2013 CONTACTS: Steve Ellis, 202-546-8500 ext...

Big Oil Boasts High Profits; Subsidies Continue

Oil and gas companies continue to boast substantial profits while reaping billions in taxpayer-backed subsidies. As of February 1st, four...

House Science Subcommittee Debates Oil Shale Subsidies

The House Science, Space, and Technology Subcommittee on Energy and Environment held a hearing November 30th to discuss the development...

Hall Bill to Create Millions in New Taxpayer Handouts for Oil Shale

Last month, Representative Ralph Hall (R-TX) introduced a bill (H.R. 6603) to create $50 million in new taxpayer-funded handouts for oil shale speculation....

Report shows billions risked on oil shale speculation

With fiscal cliff looming, TCS calls for end to government handouts for failed oil shale experiments....

President Ms. Ryan Alexander Sliding Past Sequestration Statement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 1, 2012 CONTACTS: Steve Ellis 202-546-8500 x126 or steve@taxpayer.net Taxpayers for Common Sense...

House Scuttles Debate on Amendment to Truly Stop Next Solyndra

The House Committee on Rules decided yesterday to sideline an amendment offered by Representative Tom McClintock (R-CA) to stop all new...

Statement: TCS President on Passage of No More Solyndras Act

Today House lawmakers passed the fatally flawed "No More Solyndras Act" enabling tens of billions of dollars in high-risk, costly loan guarantees to move forward. Instead of fulfilling its promise, this misleadingly named bill will...

More Solyndras Act Passes Committee

Today the House Energy and Commerce Committee passed the so-called “No More Solyndras Act.” While the bill includes some taxpayer...

Letter to Congress: No More Solyndras Act Fails to Fully Protect Taxpayers

Taxpayers for Common Sense joined several groups today urging Congress to support changes to the 'No More Solyndras Act' in order to...

“No More Solyndras Act” Moves Forward

The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy and Power voted 14-6 Wednesday to send the “No More Solyndras Act” to the full...

No More Solyndras Act Falls Short for Taxpayers

The House Subcommittee on Energy and Power and the House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a joint hearing today to...

Congress Votes to Keep Same Program That Brought You Solyndra Alive

Last week the House of Representatives passed the Energy and Water spending bill that provides funding for the Department of Energy's...

House Cuts $25 Million in Subsidies for Oil Shale

Yesterday the House of Representatives cut $25 million in new funding for oil shale development. Instead of directing more subsidies at...

Stop the Next Solyndra: Put the Brakes on Troubled Loan Guarantee Program

Reps. Kucinich (D-OH) and McClintock (R-CA) have offered an amendment to stop new loan guarantees from the Department of Energy (DOE)...

End USEC Giveaways in Energy and Water Appropriations Bill

Congress is considering spending $100 million on the United States Enrichment Corporation’s (USEC) Piketon, Ohio enrichment project...

House Backdoor Earmarks $150 million for Parochial Boondoggle

This morning the House voted down an amendment that would have stripped the $150 million added to the National Defense Authorization Act for the United States Enrichment Corporation (USEC). ...

Stop $150 million for troubled uranium project in NDAA

$150 million for the United States Enrichment Corporation's (USEC) Piketon, Ohio enrichment facility has been added to the National...

TCS Statement on Sanders-Ellison Bill Eliminating Fossil Fuel Subsidies

Statement of Ryan Alexander, President, Taxpayers for Common Sense on the introduction of the Sanders-Ellison bill to eliminate...

Problems with DOE Loan Guarantee Program Continue

Last week the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a new report in a series of on-going analyses criticizing the Department of...

Ideologically diverse coalition sends letter to Congress: Stop the NAT GAS Act

Taxpayers for Common Sense Action joined an ideologically diverse coalition in a letter to the Senate urging them to oppose Amendment...

Senate Defeats Attempt to Attach NAT GAS Act to Transportation Bill

Today the Senate defeated an amendment offered by Senators Menendez (D-NJ) and Burr (R-NC) that would have provided billions in lucrative...

Letter to Congress: Vote NO: S. 1813 Support Taxpayer Positions on Amendments

Taxpayers for Common Sense Action sent a letter to members of the Senate urging them support taxpayer positions on amendments to the...

TCS Analysis of the FY13 Presidential Budget Request

Last Updated: February 19, 2012 The FY2013 Presidential Budget Request was released this morning (2/13/2012). TCS staff will be posting...

Coal Subsidies Database

Over the years the coal industry has received billions in federal subsidies, in a variety of forms including direct grants, loan...

White House Loan Guarantee Review

Today the White House released a 60 day review of the Department of Energy (DOE) Loan Guarantee Program. The review, conducted by former...

New Nuclear Reactors Must Move Forward Without Passing Risk to Taxpayers

For the first time in decades, a new nuclear reactor is getting its federal license to build and operate in the United States. Today, the...

FutureGen Behind Schedule: What’s Happening to Taxpayers’ Billion Dollars?

Despite a billion dollar taxpayer investment and years of commitment by the Department of Energy (DOE), in a United States Energy...

Counting on Speculative Oil and Gas Revenues to Fund our Transportation Needs is Fiscally Reckless

Today the House Natural Resources Committee considered the energy portions of the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act (the...

An Open Letter to the United States Congress: No Special Tax Treatment for Natural Gas Vehicles!

Taxpayers for Common Sense joined several groups today to call on Congress to oppose the New Alternative Transportation to Give Americans...

State of the Union Energy Proposals

Oil subsidies must go, but we can’t stop there; Department of Energy (DOE) Loan Guarantee Program will continue to fail; increased...

Diverse Groups Mark Expiration of Ethanol Subsidy

Taxpayers for Common Sense joins several groups in marking the expiration of the largest subsidy to the ethanol industry, something TCS...

Coalition Holds Press Conference on Illinois FutureGen Project

               FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACTS: December 19, 2011 Kristina Rasmussen (217)...

This Time, Let the Ethanol Tax Break Expire

The Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit, or VEETC, the largest subsidy to the ethanol industry, is set to expire on December 31st. Last...

Letter and Briefing on the Wasteful, Expiring $6 Billion Ethanol Subsidy

Taxpayers for Common Sense worked with Congressional allies to get 73 Representatives to sign a letter last week asking Speaker of the...

House Subcommittee Discusses Loan Guarantees

The House Science, Space, and Technology Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight met as part of an ongoing series of hearings...

Loan Guarantee Program Up for Review

The Department of Energy (DOE) Title XVII Loan Guarantee Program is coming up for some much needed scrutiny after two companies funded...

TCS Testifies on Royalties before House Natural Resources Subcommittee

Ms. Ryan Alexander President Taxpayers for Common Sense Written Testimony submitted to the United States House of...

Uranium Loan Guarantee Is A Bad Bet

Department of Energy (DOE) loan guarantees are and should be under the magnifying glass. On August 31, 2011, the first company to receive...

TCS Letter In Support of S. 1775, the Public Lands Renewable Energy Development Act

Taxpayers for Common Sense Action sent a letter to several senators regarding S. 1775, the Public Lands Renewable Energy Development Act...

TCS Statement on DOI’s Plans to Lease Public Lands for Solar Development

Statement of Ryan Alexander, President of Taxpayers for Common Sense in response to Department of Interior release of the Supplement to...

Taxpayers for Common Sense Targets Oil and Gas Tax Breaks

October 20, 2011 CONTACT: Mike Surrusco: michael@taxpayer.net (202) 546-8500 x102 Taxpayers for Common Sense Targets Oil and Gas...

Solyndra Probe Continues

Today the House continued its investigation of the failed Department of Energy loan guarantee to the solar start-up Solyndra. Today...

Clock Ticking Only On Some of the Risky DOE Loan Guarantees

Today, a portion of the Dept. of Energy Loan Guarantee Program will expire. While that’s good news for taxpayers the trouble is far from...

TCS Testifies on Revenue Sharing from Offshore Drilling

Ms. Ryan Alexander President Taxpayers for Common Sense Written Testimony submitted to the United States House of...

Senate Energy Committee Should Not Divert Billions in Royalties from Treasury

 Today, Taxpayers for Common Sense sent a letter to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee asking committee members to oppose...

Regulatory Comments for Office of Natural Resources Revenue Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: Federal Oil and Gas Valuation

Taxpayers for Common Sense submitted comments to the Office of Natural Resources Revenue concerning Federal Oil and Gas Valuation....

Senate Committee Passes Energy Financing Entity

With little debate, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee passed by voice vote a bill to create the Clean Energy Deployment...

Senate Energy Committee Needs to Stop the Clean Energy Deployment Administration

Taxpayers for Common Sense joined with other groups urging Congress to save taxpayers from footing the bill for billions in risky loans by not creating the Clean Energy Deployment Administration....

Coalition Letter Supporting Ending Wasteful $6 Billion Annual Ethanol Subsidy

Taxpayers for Common Sense joined a broad and diverse coalition supporting Senators Coburn (R-OK), Feinstein (D-CA), and McCain (R-AZ) and their amendments this week which will end the $6 billion annual, taxpayer-funded subsidies for conventional ethanol which go to Big Oil when they blend ethanol with gasoline. ...

TCS Releases Report on Largest Ethanol Subsidy

Today Taxpayers for Common Sense released a comprehensive report on the largest subsidy to corn ethanol, the Volumetric Ethanol Excise...

Taxpayers for Common Sense’s Ellis weighs in on oil, ethanol tax breaks

OnPoint E&E TV   SYNOPSIS: As the debate over subsidies heats up, should Congress be considering a complete overhaul of the tax...

TCS post in Blue Dog Research Forum’s “Point and Counterpoint” edition on whether or not to end tax benefits to the Oil and Gas Industry

The Blue Dog Research Forum's "Point and Counterpoint" Edition asked the question: Should We End Tax Benefits to the Oil and Gas...

TCS President Ryan Alexander Letter to the Editor—Energy Subsidies: “No Giveaways” (The Wichita Eagle)

No giveaways In "Natural gas better for economy, environment" (May 20 Opinion), T. Boone Pickens tried to justify new subsidies...

Coalition Letter Opposing Clean Energy Deployment Administration

Taxpayers for Common Sense and a coalition of groups sent a letter to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee calling for them to oppose the Clean Energy Deployment Administration....

Coalition Letter Opposing NATGAS Act—A Bill to Subsidize the Natural Gas Vehicle Industry

Taxpayers for Common Sense joined 16 other taxpayer and conservative groups on an open letter to Congress urging them to oppose yet another new energy subsidy. ...

Democrats target big oil: Experts debate - Washington Post Live Q&A at 2pm

Democrats target big oil: Experts debate In an effort to create revenue and decrease the deficit, Democrats are pushing to end tax...

TCS Action Letter: Tax Reform Must Tackle Oil and Gas Subsidies

TCS Action sent a letter to Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) to urge crafting of a bill that will trim unnecessary wasteful oil and gas tax breaks. By eliminating wasteful and outdated tax breaks, Congress can bring valuable revenue to the Treasury and begin chipping away at the nation's trillion dollar deficit....

TCS Letter in Opposition to H.R. 1380, the NAT GAS Act

Taxpayers for Common Sense sent a letter to the U.S. House of Representatives calling for Congress to oppose H.R. 1380, the New Alternative Transportation to Give American Solutions or NAT GAS Act....

Letter Supporting Bipartisan Effort to Cut Billions in Ethanol Giveaway

Taxpayers for Common Sense joined a broad and diverse coalition applauding Senators Coburn (R-OK) and Feinstein (D-CA) for combining their efforts to end billions of dollars in taxpayer-funded subsidies for conventional ethanol by introducing the bipartisan “Ethanol Subsidy and Tariff Repeal Act.”...

TCS Letter to House Speaker John Boehner Agreeing with his Recent Comments on Oil Subsidies

Taxpayers for Common Sense sent a letter to Speaker of the House John Boehner, regarding his recent comments that oil companies "ought to be paying their fair share."...

TCS Letter to the House & Senate Energy & Water Development Subcommittees: Stop New Authority To DOE Loan Guarantee Program

Taxpayers for Common Sense along with the George C. Marshall Institute, the Non-Proliferation Policy Education Center, the Competitive Enterprise Institute, and the National Taxpayers Union, sent a letter to both the House and Senate Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittees urging lawmakers to not provide additional loan guarantee authority to the Department of Energy (DOE) Loan Guarantee Program in the Fiscal Year 2012 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill....

Updates & Budgetary Gimmicks in the Final Continuing Resolution Unveiled by House Appropriations

The House Appropriations Committee released the final Continuing Resolution (CR) funding the federal government for the rest of the 2011...

Briefing on DOE Loan Guarantees:: Should Taxpayers Bear the Risks for the Energy Sector with Loan Guarantees?

Taxpayers for Common Sense, National Taxpayers Union, The Heritage Foundation, and the Competitive Enterprise Institute will hold a discussion on the impacts of federal energy loan guarantees on the federal budget and energy markets....

House Subcommittee Hearing on DOE Loan Guarantees

Taxpayers for Common Sense has been critical of the Loan Guarantee Program since its inception in 2005 and we are pleased that Congress...

Taxpayer Letter to the Senate: End Ethanol Tax Credit

Taxpayers for Common Sense sent a letter to senators today urging them to support efforts to immediately end spending billions of taxpayer dollars on a wasteful tax credit that was set to expire last year. Read our letter below and contact your senators to ask for their support on this common sense taxpayer-friendly amendment. ...

Coalition Letter to Congress Calls for an End to Energy Subsidies

Taxpayers for Common Sense along with a coalition of nearly 30 groups sent a letter to Congress calling for an end to energy...

Broad Coalition Supports Senators Efforts to End VEETC

Taxpayers for Common Sense alongside a broad and diverse coalition of groups sent a letter supporting the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax...

Energy Loan Guarantee Program Under More Scrutiny

Energy Loan Guarantee Program Under More Scrutiny The Department of Energy Inspector General recently released a report faulting DOE...

TCS Testifies at the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

On March 3, 2011 Taxpayers for Common Sense President Ryan Alexander testified at a House Committee on Oversight and Government reform...

Broad Coalition Calls for the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit to Expire

Taxpayers for Common Sense along with 90 other organizations and associations delivered a letter to Congressional leaders on Tuesday...

Energy Committee Questions DOE on Budget

Senate Energy Committee’s Hearing on the President’s FY2012 Budget Request Earlier this week the President released his budget request...

Ongoing Analysis of Debate Over FY11 Continuing Resolution

The House of Representatives is debating a Continuing Resolution to fund the federal government for the rest of fiscal year 2011 (through...

CR Misses the Mark on Loan Guarantees

The House Continuing Appropriations Bill (CR) offers ample fodder for the chopping block. Unfortunately, House Republicans released a...

Senate Energy and House Natural Resource Committees Examine New Findings on the Gulf Oil Spill

On January 26, the Senate Energy Committee and House Natural Resources Committee both held hearings on the final report produced by...

Legislation Introduced to end Reverse Royalty for Hardrock Mining

Last week, Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) introduced legislation to eliminate an unnecessary giveaway for mining companies that cost...

Letter to Congress: Where to Start Cutting to Trim the Deficit

Today Taxpayers for Common Sense delivered to leadership in both the House and Senate a report on how Congress can quickly cut nearly...

OP-ED: MCMAHON & ALEXANDER: Corn pork in the tax bill (The Washington Times)

Ethanol funds don't help farmers or the environment A handful of farm-state senators were once again able to funnel ethanol subsidies...

TCS Action Letter Urges Congress to Oppose ANY Extension to the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit

Today, Taxpayers for Common Sense Action sent a letter to Congress urging members to oppose ANY extension to the Volumetric Ethanol...

Coalition Urges Congress to Oppose Wasteful $10 Billion Increase in DOE Loan Guarantee Authority in Continuing Resolution

Today, Taxpayers for Common Sense alongside National Taxpayers Union, the Competitive Enterprise Institute, and the Nonproliferation...

Congressional Briefing on Department of Energy Loan Guarantees

(Update 9/30/2010) Today, Taxpayers for Common Sense participated in a discussion on whether taxpayers should bear the risks for the...

Diverse Coalition Calls for Congress to End the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC)

Taxpayers for Common Sense, together with a diverse coalition of 58 groups, sent a letter to congressional leaders today urging them to...

TCS and the Grocery Manufacturers Association Hold a Briefing on the Impacts and Future of the Corn Ethanol Tax Credit

Today, Taxpayers for Common Sense along with the Grocery Manufacturers Association held a briefing on the "Impacts and Future of the Corn...

Reforms Proposed by National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform Co-Chairs Unveiled Today

The Co-chairs of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform gave their proposals to fellow Commission members today....

Third Quarter Results are in and still the same story: Billions in profit, billions more in subsidies to Big Oil

Ten months into 2010 and Big Oil has pumped in billions in profits. So far this year, top oil companies have made nearly $50 billion in...

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack Urges Congress to extend $5 billion/year Ethanol Tax Credit

US Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack yesterday urged members of Congress to reinstate the biodiesel tax credit and extend...

TCS Event: Greening the Budget - A Transatlantic Dialogue on Making Environmental and Fiscal Responsibility a Priority

Today, Taxpayers for Common Sense participated in a discussion on "Making Environmental and Fiscal Responsibility a Priority." TCS was...

Taxpayer Victory: Costly Nuclear Loan Guarantee Shelved

Score one for the taxpayers!  A $7.5 billion Department of Energy loan guarantee for the Calvert Cliffs nuclear reactor near Lusby,...

Press Release: Broad Coalition Opposes Ethanol Industry Proposal, Supports Real Reform

Today, Taxpayers for Common Sense alongside environmental groups and business associations hosted a conference call with members of the...

Hearing on Loan Guarantee Program Raises Concerns for Taxpayers

Last week the Senate Energy and Natural Resource Committee held a hearing on the Department of Energy (DOE) Loan Guarantee Program.  The...

TCS Statement on SACE FOIA lawsuit against DOE Loan Guarantee Program

  Statement by Steve Ellis, Vice President, Taxpayers for Common Sense at Southern Alliance for Clean Energy Tele-Press Conference...

FutureGen: Massive Clean Coal Project Changes Track, Still Securing $1 Billion Earmarked in the Stimulus

Today, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced that the plan to build “FutureGen” a massive commercial “clean coal” facility in Mattoon,...

Senate Appropriations Committee Passes Energy and Water Bill—Includes $17 billion in Risky Loan Guarantees

 On July 22, the Senate Committee on Appropriations passed the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill. The $34.97 billion bill...

Clean Energy Development Must Not Clean Out Taxpayer Pockets

Energy Legislation and Clean Energy Development The House of Representatives took another step closer to considering energy legislation...

Senate Appropriations Subcommittee Passes Energy & Water Bill—Includes $17 BILLION in Risky Loan Guarantees

 On July 20, the Senate Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee approved a whopping $17 billion in new loan guarantees...

House Appropriations Subcommittee Passes Energy & Water Bill—Includes $50 BILLION in Risky Loan Guarantees

 On July 15, the House Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee approved a $34.7 billion FY 2011 funding bill. Drafts of the bill are...

Joint Letter to Senate Energy and Water Subcommittee Opposing Any Loan Guarantee Authority in the Appropriations Bill

Taxpayers for Common Sense released a joint statement to the Senate Energy and Water Development Subcommittee urging members to oppose...

TCS Action: Support Key Provisions and Strengthening Amendments to the CLEAR Act; Oppose Weakening Amendments

On Wednesday June 14, The House Natural Resources Committee held a hearing to debate and vote on the Consolidated Land, Energy, and...

Blumenauer, Menendez Call for an End to Big Oil Subsidies

On June 30, 2010, Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) introduced the End Big Oil Tax Subsidies Act to cut a number of subsidies for big...

Abandoned Gulf Wells Could Cost Taxpayers

An AP investigation released yesterday found that in the gulf region alone, there are approximately 27,000 abandoned wells lying...

$36 Billion Dollar Giveaway to Nuclear Industry Causes Meltdown in Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee

As we posted yesterday, the Fiscal Year 2011 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill mark-up scheduled in the Subcommittee was postponed. ...

House Energy and Water Appropriations Bill Mark-Up Delayed

Today the House Committee on Appropriations Energy and Water Subcommittee was scheduled to hold the first mark-up on a Fiscal Year...

Taxpayers Stand to Lose Billions on Risky Reactor

After receiving a 30 day extension, Georgia Power, a Southern Company subsidiary, accepted an $8.3 billion taxpayer-backed loan guarantee...

TCS Statement on BLM’s Setting of Fees for Solar Energy Development on Federal Lands

Today, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released the schedule of rental fees it will charge for development of solar generation...

Senator Seeks Repeal of Billions of Dollars in Subsidies to Oil and Gas Companies

 Today, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) filed an amendment, 4318, to so-called tax extenders legislation that would repeal $35 billion...

BP Circular Logic on Taxpayer Subsidies For Cleanup

 “And our efforts will not come at any cost to the taxpayers.” – BP advertisement, New York Times, June 2, 2010 BP’s assurance that...

Billions in Nuclear Loan Guarantees Added to Emergency Spending

Today, Taxpayers for Common Sense Action released a letter to the House opposing increased nuclear loan guarantees in the Emergency Supplemental. ...

Stop Billions MORE in Risky Treasury-Backed Loan Guarantees in Emergency War Spending Bill

 The Emergency Supplemental Appropriations bill being considered today in committee in the House includes an additional $18 billion in...

Federal Oil and Gas Agency Divided

Yesterday Interior Secretary Ken Salazar issued a Secretarial Order dividing the Minerals Management Agency, the federal manager of oil...

War Spending Bill is No Place for More Nuclear Loan Guarantees

 Recent press reports indicate that the Administration and leadership on Capitol Hill have brokered a deal to add billions of dollars...

TCS Action Letter: Energy Tax Bill Should End Coal Liquids, Oil and Gas Tax Breaks and Not Extend the VEETC

Taxpayers for Common Sense Action sent a letter to the House Committee on Ways and Means urging members to protect taxpayers' interests in drafting energy tax and green jobs legislation....

TCS Action Letter: Energy and Climate Legislation: More Transparency and Accountability,  Not More Giveaways

Taxpayers for Common Sense Action released a letter to the Senate urging support for a transparent energy and climate bill that reduces subsidies to well-established, highly profitable companies, and that holds industry accountable for meeting our clean energy needs....

GAO Reports Oil & Gas Royalties Not Measuring Up

In its latest of many critical reviews, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) this week issued a report criticizing the Department...

Energy Savers That Don’t Exist

Would you approve a gas powered alarm clock for Energy Star certification without actually reviewing the device to see if the product is...

Bill Introduced to Extend Wasteful Ethanol Tax Credits

Today Taxpayers for Common Sense joined together with representatives from the Grocery Manufacturers Association, American Meat...

The Department of Energy Loan Guarantee Program: History and Taxpayer Risk

Title XVII of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 authorized the Department of Energy (DOE) Loan Guarantee Program to provide loan guarantees...

TCS Action Letter: Blanket Tax Credit Extensions a Bad Deal for Taxpayers

This afternoon, Taxpayers for Common Sense Action sent a letter to the Senate opposing blanket tax credit extensions in the Tax Extenders...

TCS Action Letter: Liquid Coal Tax Credits Are Money Losers for Taxpayers

Today Taxpayers for Common Sense Action  released a letter to the Senate opposing the inclusion of generous tax breaks for liquid coal in...

Oil and Gas Orphans Cost Taxpayers Millions

Today the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a detailed report documenting taxpayer costs for cleaning up oil and gas wells...

Department of Energy Announces Risky Loan Guarantee for Southern Company

WASHINGTON, D.C. – February 16, 2010 – Ryan Alexander, president of Taxpayers for Common Sense, issued the following statement today in...

Taxpayers for Common Sense Statement: Nuclear Industry Must Pay For Its Renaissance

WASHINGTON, D.C. – February 16, 2010 -- The following is a written statement by Ryan Alexander, President of Taxpayers for Common Sense...

FY2011 Budget Request: President Terminates Yucca Mountain, Increases Funding for Other Nuclear Projects

The President’s budget ends funding for the Yucca Mountain project, which was intended to be a permanent nuclear waste disposal site....

FY2011 Budget Request: Administration Triples Risky Loan Guarantees for Nuclear Reactors

The President’s FY2011 budget proposal triples funding to the Department of Energy Loan Guarantee Program.  This includes $36 billion in...

FY2011 Budget Request: President Expands Cuts to Fossil Fuel Subsidies

Similar to last year’s budget request, the Fiscal year 2011 budget request eliminates several longstanding oil and gas subsidies.  TCS is...

Top Nuclear Loan Guarantee Contenders in Financial Shambles

***Updated February 15, 2010*** The Department of Energy announced in December 2009 that they would soon issue Treasury-backed loan...

Joint Letter Urging Administration Not to Increase Risky Loan Guarantee Program

      President Barack Obama The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20500   Dear Mr. President:...

TCS Applauds President’s Commitment to End Big Oil’s Tax Breaks but Disappointed in Call for Nuclear and Clean Coal Subsidies

Written Statement by Ms. Ryan Alexander, President of Taxpayers for Common Sense: Last night in his State of the Union address,...

Senate Energy Committee Discusses Costly Nuclear Legislation

On December 15th, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee held a hearing on two pieces of legislation aimed at boosting...

Coal to Liquids: A Costly Gamble

Discovered by German scientists during World War II, the Fischer-Tropsch process – referred to by the Department of Energy as...

Department of Energy Issues the “final rule” on Loan Guarantees

Today the Department of Energy (DOE) released their amended final rule governing the Title XVII loan guarantee program. The program’s...

Taxpayer Risk Soars as Congress Considers Nuclear Option

While Congress considers proposals to funnel billions in loan guarantees for the construction of new nuclear reactors, the costs of...

Oil Companies To Reap More Profits on Backs of Federal Taxpayers

Taxpayers will likely lose at least $19 billion to oil and gas companies operating in the Gulf of Mexico. Today, the U.S. Supreme Court...

Administration Calls for an End to Fossil Fuel Subsidies

At the G-20 meeting in Pittsburgh today, President Obama and the other G-20 leaders called for an international end to fossil fuel...

TCS Weighs in on Proposed Changes to the DOE Loan Guarantee Program

Yesterday TCS submitted comments to the Department of Energy (DOE) on proposed changes to the Title XVII Loan Guarantee Program. In early...

NEW ANALYSIS: Royalty-in-Kind Program Costing Taxpayers Millions

Oil and Gas companies have skirted millions of dollars in payments owed to the federal government for the extraction of natural gas from...

Salazar Announces Termination of Royalty-in-Kind Program

This morning, Interior Secretary Salazar announced that he will end the mismanaged and wasteful Minerals Management Service’s (MMS)...

Nuclear Power Subsidies

Since the nation began using nuclear energy, the federal government has provided billions in subsidies to the industry. More than $85...

Contracts for Synthetic Fuels not Included in Senate Defense Bill

Late last night the Senate completed their work on the Defense Authorization bill, S. 1390.  The bill passed with an overwhelming...

TCS Urges Senate to Oppose Amendments for Costly Synthetic Fuels

This week the Senate is considering the Defense Authorization bill, S. 1390. Several Senators have offered amendments regarding the use of...

TCS Letter to Congress: Protect Taxpayers from Risky Reactors

Today Taxpayers for Common Sense sent a letter to each member of the House and Senate urging them to oppose any legislative actions to...

House Energy and Water Subcommittee Cuts a Billion Dollars from the President’s Budget Request

Last Thursday, the House Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development held their mark-up of the fiscal year 2010 Energy and Water...

House Passes Cap and Trade Legislation

Today, the House took an historic step towards addressing climate change by passing The American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009....

Senate Energy Committee Passes American Clean Energy Leadership Act

Today, the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources completed work on the American Clean Energy Leadership Act (ACELA), passing...

Changes to Loan Guarantee Program Adopted by Senate Committee

On June 17, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee adopted S. 949, the 21st Century Energy and Technology Deployment Act as...

Taxpayer Giveaway to Oil and Gas Industries Repealed in Senate Energy Committee

Today the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee narrowly passed an amendment to repeal the outer continental shelf deep water and...

House Agriculture Committee Hearing on Pending Climate Change Legislation

Last Thursday, the House Agrculture Committee questioned Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack in a hearing on pending climate change...

House Appropriations Subcommittee Hearing on Department of Energy FY10 Budget Request

On Wednesday, the House Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee heard testimony from Department of Energy Secretary...

Massive Increase for DOE Loan Guarantee Program Dropped from Budget Resolution

The Conference Agreement on the Budget Resolution that is expected to pass the House and Senate today does not include language...

Senate Adopts Amendment Supporting Massive Expansion of the DOE Loan Guarantee Program

Late last night the Senate passed an amendment to the Budget Resolution supporting a $50 billion reserve fund for the Department of...

President Cuts Oil and Gas Subsidies

The President’s budget highlights, released last week, took the ax to major subsidies to the oil and gas industry. Through the...

Billions in Risky Energy Loan Guarantees Included in Omnibus

The Omnibus Appropriations bill that passed yesterday in the House and is expected next week in the Senate includes $47 billion for the...

TCS Presents: Loan Guarantees and You

Today TCS explained the basics of the Department of Energy's loan guarantees program at an Institute for Energy and Environmental...

Senate Holds Hearing on Energy Loan Guarantee Program

Today the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee held a hearing on the Department of Energy Loan Guarantee Program. The program,...

$50 Billion Expansion of Loan Guarantee Program Cut from Stimulus

During conference negotiations over the stimulus bill, the egregious $50 billion expansion of the Department of Energy (DOE) Loan...

Letter to the House: Oppose $50 Billion DOE Loan Guarantee Program in the Stimulus

February 10, 2009 Dear Representative, Taxpayers for Common Sense Action urges you to oppose the inclusion of an additional $50...

Letter to the Senate: Stop $50 Billion Blow-Up of DOE Loan Guarantee Program

(Download a pdf version of this letter) February 2, 2009 Dear Senator, Taxpayers for Common Sense Action urges you to oppose...

Clean Coal Gets Boost in House and Senate Stimulus Bills

Both the House and Senate included increase for clean coal technologies in their stimulus bills. The House provided $2.4 billion for...

Senate Puts Taxpayers on the Hook for More than $50 Billion in Risky Loan Guarantees

This week, both the House and Senate included increases for the Department of Energy Loan Guarantee program in their stimulus bills, but...

Nuclear Subsidies Past and Present

Since the beginning of nuclear energy the federal government has provided billions in handouts to the industry. More than $85 billion has...

Private Industry Finds Coal-to-Liquids too Risky So Why Should Taxpayers Pick-Up the Tab?

A new report today released by the RAND Corporation addresses the costs, benefits and risks associated with commercial development of...

Final Regulations for Oil Shale Leasing on Federal Lands

Despite the federal government’s recognition that “any significant production of oil shale is not likely to occur for a number of years,”...

TCS Statement on Colorado Public Awareness Effort on Energy

Statement by Jill Lancelot, Co-founder/Senior Advisor, regarding Colorado public awareness effort on energy.   Statement by Jill...

Oil and Gas Subsidies: Overview

Taxpayer subsidies to the oil and gas industry have played a major role in U.S. energy policy since 1916. Two of the largest tax breaks,...

Nuclear Reprocessing

Nuclear fuel reprocessing is the process of collecting nuclear waste to recover and reuse plutonium and uranium. Despite decades of...

New Report Raises Concerns with Royalty-In-Kind Program

A report released today by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) concludes that the Minerals Management Service (MMS) is at risk of...

Joint Letter to Congress: Don’t Extend Loan Guarantee Program in the Continuing Resolution

  Dear Representative, On behalf of our combined memberships, we urge you to oppose any time extensions for the Department of...

TCS Action Letter to the Senate:  Oppose Subsidies to the Fossil Fuels and Nuclear Industries

In a letter to each Senator, Taxpayers for Common Sense Action urges the Senate to oppose any effort to provide additional subsidies to...

TCS Action Letter to the Senate on Defense Authorization Bill

The following is a letter from Taxpayers for Common Sense Action prior to upcoming Senate vote on the Defense Authorization Bill for...

New Report Details Problems with Oil and Gas Royalty System

A new report finds that the federal oil and gas systems inability to adapt royalty rates or lease contracts to market conditions could...

Sex, Drugs, and and Mismanagement at the Department of the Interior

Government officials responsible for the collection of billions of dollars of oil royalties to the federal treasury accepted gifts from...

House Strongly Opposes Funds for Global Nuclear Energy Partnership

The FY09 House Energy and Water Bill specifically denies funds for the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP), a large-scale DOE...

GAO Recommends Congress Limit Loan Guarantees

In a new report released today, the Government Accountability Office recommends Congress limit the amount of loan guarantees issued by...

GAO: Gulf Leases Could Cost Taxpayers $53 Billion

A Government Accountability Office (GAO) report released today estimates taxpayers will lose up to $53 billion from Gulf of Mexico oil...

Bipartisan Group of Senators Call for Taxpayer Protections in New Mining Law

Washington, D.C. – Today Senators Feingold (D-WI), Sununu (R-NH), Cantwell (D-WA), and Gregg (R-NH) led a bi-partisan push for the...

Oppose Blank Check Loan Guarantees in Final Energy Bill

Dear Senator, We urge you to oppose the inclusion of language in the final energy bill exempting the Department of Energy (DOE) Loan...

Engineering Boondoggles

While Washington is wringing its hands about the automatic across-the-board budget cuts known as...