Energy issues received some significant national attention last week as both houses of Congress began to lay out their plans for the 113th Congress, and President Obama delivered his second inaugural address after he was sworn in for his second term. President Obama highlighted climate change in his inaugural address January 21, signaling a renewed commitment to action on the issue, but it is too early to tell whether and how that will translate into a broad agenda or a new push for legislation this year. The Environmental Protection Agency has already released a rulemaking agenda that includes regulation to address emissions from new power plants, and the president has wide-ranging administrative authority that allows him to use executive orders and new regulations to benefit the clean energy sector.

For additional timely information on state and federal administrative and legislative activities, please see ML Strategies’ weekly Energy and Environmental Update.