Whitney Muse
@whitneymuse.bsky.social
Energy and Climate policy. Formerly White House and Dept. of Energy.
Always a beach lover, seeking more scuba diving trips, watching women's basketball, and reading a good book
Always a beach lover, seeking more scuba diving trips, watching women's basketball, and reading a good book
Reposted by Whitney Muse
Pennsylvania’s top legislative leaders and Gov. Josh Shapiro have agreed to a $50.1 billion state budget deal behind closed doors, according to two sources close to negotiations.
🔗 www.inquirer.com/politics/pen...
🔗 www.inquirer.com/politics/pen...
Pennsylvania’s top leaders have reached a $50.1 billion state budget deal, signaling a breakthrough in impasse
Top legislative leaders and Gov. Josh Shapiro have agreed on a budget framework after months of talks, according to two sources close to negotiations.
www.inquirer.com
November 11, 2025 at 11:04 PM
Pennsylvania’s top legislative leaders and Gov. Josh Shapiro have agreed to a $50.1 billion state budget deal behind closed doors, according to two sources close to negotiations.
🔗 www.inquirer.com/politics/pen...
🔗 www.inquirer.com/politics/pen...
Reposted by Whitney Muse
The SNAP fight is actually a recapitulation of the entire purpose of the shutdown.
There's a contingency fund, Trump is required to spend it, but he's not, usurping Congress's power of the purse, essentially so he can do it again with normal appropriations whenever he wants
There's a contingency fund, Trump is required to spend it, but he's not, usurping Congress's power of the purse, essentially so he can do it again with normal appropriations whenever he wants
NEW: We just filed a lawsuit alongside 25 states to restore SNAP food assistance during the federal shutdown.
141,000 DC residents rely on SNAP to afford their meals — including 47,000 children and 24,000 seniors.
We will do everything in our power to prevent DC families from going hungry.
141,000 DC residents rely on SNAP to afford their meals — including 47,000 children and 24,000 seniors.
We will do everything in our power to prevent DC families from going hungry.
October 28, 2025 at 4:58 PM
The SNAP fight is actually a recapitulation of the entire purpose of the shutdown.
There's a contingency fund, Trump is required to spend it, but he's not, usurping Congress's power of the purse, essentially so he can do it again with normal appropriations whenever he wants
There's a contingency fund, Trump is required to spend it, but he's not, usurping Congress's power of the purse, essentially so he can do it again with normal appropriations whenever he wants
Also, seeing new federal delays in the permitting for the Greenlink transmission lines that are designed to move power from Esmerelda 7 and other neighboring projects to where people and business need power in Nevada.
October 10, 2025 at 1:56 PM
Also, seeing new federal delays in the permitting for the Greenlink transmission lines that are designed to move power from Esmerelda 7 and other neighboring projects to where people and business need power in Nevada.
Reposted by Whitney Muse
The "compact" is a threat, with the administration explicitly stating that it plans to disfavor universities that don't sign in areas from foreign student visas, student loans, federal contracts as well as grants, and even tax [501(c)(3)] status.
It's a maximalist plan of 1st Amendment violation.
It's a maximalist plan of 1st Amendment violation.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
October 2, 2025 at 4:06 PM
The "compact" is a threat, with the administration explicitly stating that it plans to disfavor universities that don't sign in areas from foreign student visas, student loans, federal contracts as well as grants, and even tax [501(c)(3)] status.
It's a maximalist plan of 1st Amendment violation.
It's a maximalist plan of 1st Amendment violation.
Reposted by Whitney Muse
Yesterday, Russ Vought tweeted out that DOE is canceling nearly $8 billion in clean energy funding. Today, @latitudemedia.bsky.social @maeveallsup.bsky.social obtained the list of all 321 projects that are having their awards pulled.
🔌💡 www.latitudemedia.com/news/scoop-t...
🔌💡 www.latitudemedia.com/news/scoop-t...
SCOOP: These are the 321 awards DOE is canceling
All of the awards, totaling $7.5 billion, are for projects in blue states.
www.latitudemedia.com
October 2, 2025 at 4:58 PM
Yesterday, Russ Vought tweeted out that DOE is canceling nearly $8 billion in clean energy funding. Today, @latitudemedia.bsky.social @maeveallsup.bsky.social obtained the list of all 321 projects that are having their awards pulled.
🔌💡 www.latitudemedia.com/news/scoop-t...
🔌💡 www.latitudemedia.com/news/scoop-t...
Reposted by Whitney Muse
BRUSUELAS: “.. Domestic electricity inflation inside the July consumer price index increased by 9.5% on a six-month average annualized basis. .. it will most likely move higher.”
#CPI ⚡️
#CPI ⚡️
August 21, 2025 at 6:13 PM
BRUSUELAS: “.. Domestic electricity inflation inside the July consumer price index increased by 9.5% on a six-month average annualized basis. .. it will most likely move higher.”
#CPI ⚡️
#CPI ⚡️
Reposted by Whitney Muse
As someone who has lived my whole adult life in cities deemed “dangerous”—NYC, NOLA, and SF—I think a lot about how dense cities require patience, calm, and tolerance in the midst of social difference, which are of course exactly the civic virtues that the right resents being told to cultivate.
August 12, 2025 at 7:06 PM
As someone who has lived my whole adult life in cities deemed “dangerous”—NYC, NOLA, and SF—I think a lot about how dense cities require patience, calm, and tolerance in the midst of social difference, which are of course exactly the civic virtues that the right resents being told to cultivate.
Anyone seen a graph comparing Jan 2025 tariff levels by country with the changes since then?
Supply Chain Dive had a good breakdown of rhe changes since April www.utilitydive.com/news/3-ways-...
Supply Chain Dive had a good breakdown of rhe changes since April www.utilitydive.com/news/3-ways-...
August 7, 2025 at 1:53 AM
Anyone seen a graph comparing Jan 2025 tariff levels by country with the changes since then?
Supply Chain Dive had a good breakdown of rhe changes since April www.utilitydive.com/news/3-ways-...
Supply Chain Dive had a good breakdown of rhe changes since April www.utilitydive.com/news/3-ways-...
Reposted by Whitney Muse
Turns out forcing old, uneconomic coal plants to remain online when the operator wanted to retire them is expensive. Keeping Campbell running in MI has cost $29 million over 5 weeks: www.detroitnews.com/story/busine...
Consumers Energy spends millions keeping coal plant open per fed order
The utility expects the cost to be shared by customers in the north and central regions of the Midcontinent Independent System Operator.
www.detroitnews.com
August 1, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Turns out forcing old, uneconomic coal plants to remain online when the operator wanted to retire them is expensive. Keeping Campbell running in MI has cost $29 million over 5 weeks: www.detroitnews.com/story/busine...
Reposted by Whitney Muse
the position of the roberts court is both that racism isn’t real and that the constitution mandates a colorblindness so strict that it neither recognizes nor can act on social inequalities. incidentally, this is essentially the court’s holding in plessy v. ferguson.
August 1, 2025 at 9:45 PM
the position of the roberts court is both that racism isn’t real and that the constitution mandates a colorblindness so strict that it neither recognizes nor can act on social inequalities. incidentally, this is essentially the court’s holding in plessy v. ferguson.
Reposted by Whitney Muse
not to be too gloomy, but I think it's just very hard to wrap one's head around the fact that the liberal order that started with the new deal is basically just gone for the foreseeable future, and how to deal with that *as* a fact
August 1, 2025 at 6:05 PM
not to be too gloomy, but I think it's just very hard to wrap one's head around the fact that the liberal order that started with the new deal is basically just gone for the foreseeable future, and how to deal with that *as* a fact
Reposted by Whitney Muse
a thing I think about, from reading about Chile, is that getting rid of an authoritarian who imposes draconian libertarian austerity is one thing, but building back the things that said authoritarian destroyed, after the fact, is a second and distinct thing and doesn't naturally flow from the first
August 1, 2025 at 5:30 PM
a thing I think about, from reading about Chile, is that getting rid of an authoritarian who imposes draconian libertarian austerity is one thing, but building back the things that said authoritarian destroyed, after the fact, is a second and distinct thing and doesn't naturally flow from the first
Maybe my grad degree in Latin American studies and international economics will come in handy these days...
August 1, 2025 at 6:53 PM
Maybe my grad degree in Latin American studies and international economics will come in handy these days...
Reposted by Whitney Muse
About to get positively Argentinian up in here
Unquestionably the most dangerous and corrupt attack on the independence of US economic data in American history. Trump is firing the head of the BLS, a longtime civil servant confirmed 86-8 by the Senate, simply because the job numbers came in below his expectations today
August 1, 2025 at 6:36 PM
About to get positively Argentinian up in here
Reposted by Whitney Muse
It’s hard to find a trend in the electricity system right now that *doesn’t* point to near-term rate hikes if not a broad affordability crisis. That’s a serious problem for climate policy, but also the American economy writ large. I wrote about it: heatmap.news/politics/ele...
July 23, 2025 at 11:30 PM
It’s hard to find a trend in the electricity system right now that *doesn’t* point to near-term rate hikes if not a broad affordability crisis. That’s a serious problem for climate policy, but also the American economy writ large. I wrote about it: heatmap.news/politics/ele...
Reposted by Whitney Muse
Interior issues new memo in response to anti-wind/solar Executive Order that requires any of 69 types of decisions/actions to go to the Office of the Secretary.
This is the way you stall and kill projects. Intentionally red-tape projects to death.
This is the way you stall and kill projects. Intentionally red-tape projects to death.
July 16, 2025 at 11:28 PM
Interior issues new memo in response to anti-wind/solar Executive Order that requires any of 69 types of decisions/actions to go to the Office of the Secretary.
This is the way you stall and kill projects. Intentionally red-tape projects to death.
This is the way you stall and kill projects. Intentionally red-tape projects to death.
Reposted by Whitney Muse
According to this Supreme Court, President Biden's Department of Education was exceeding its power by trying to forgive peoples' student loans.
President Trump, on the other hand, has the power to just completely dismantle the entire Education Department.
President Trump, on the other hand, has the power to just completely dismantle the entire Education Department.
BREAKING: The Supreme Court allows the Trump administration to move forward with the abolition of the Department of Education. It gives no explanation for its order. All three liberals dissent. www.documentcloud.org/documents/25...
From Sotomayor's dissent:
From Sotomayor's dissent:
July 14, 2025 at 7:35 PM
According to this Supreme Court, President Biden's Department of Education was exceeding its power by trying to forgive peoples' student loans.
President Trump, on the other hand, has the power to just completely dismantle the entire Education Department.
President Trump, on the other hand, has the power to just completely dismantle the entire Education Department.
Reposted by Whitney Muse
I can't stress enough how close U.S. science is to the cliff.
"Numbers released in May by the National Science Foundation (NSF) indicate that if Congress approves the cuts to the agency proposed by the White House, the number of early-career researchers it supports could fall by 78%" (@science.org)
"Numbers released in May by the National Science Foundation (NSF) indicate that if Congress approves the cuts to the agency proposed by the White House, the number of early-career researchers it supports could fall by 78%" (@science.org)
‘It’s a nightmare.’ U.S. funding cuts threaten academic science jobs at all levels
“There is a lot of pressure to essentially leave the country or not pursue research,” one Ph.D. student says
www.science.org
July 8, 2025 at 3:36 PM
I can't stress enough how close U.S. science is to the cliff.
"Numbers released in May by the National Science Foundation (NSF) indicate that if Congress approves the cuts to the agency proposed by the White House, the number of early-career researchers it supports could fall by 78%" (@science.org)
"Numbers released in May by the National Science Foundation (NSF) indicate that if Congress approves the cuts to the agency proposed by the White House, the number of early-career researchers it supports could fall by 78%" (@science.org)
Reposted by Whitney Muse
Wrote a thing (with @jakehigdon.com). Congress is killing IRA tax credits in an effort to look "tough on China." But the effect will be the exact opposite.
"In the end we will cede not only our supply chains to China, but also our competitive edge in the race for AI and manufacturing dominance."
Former DOE staffers @azevin.bsky.social and @jakehigdon.com argue that the Senate megabill will hand energy dominance to China ⬇️
Former DOE staffers @azevin.bsky.social and @jakehigdon.com argue that the Senate megabill will hand energy dominance to China ⬇️
The GOP Megabill Is Playing Right Into China’s Hands
Two former Department of Energy staffers argue from experience that severe foreign entity restrictions aren’t the way to reshore America’s clean energy supply chain.
heatmap.news
June 30, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Wrote a thing (with @jakehigdon.com). Congress is killing IRA tax credits in an effort to look "tough on China." But the effect will be the exact opposite.
Reposted by Whitney Muse
NABTU gets it.
“Equivalent of canceling 1000 keystone XLs”
"Biggest job killing Bill in the history of the country"
“Equivalent of canceling 1000 keystone XLs”
"Biggest job killing Bill in the history of the country"
June 28, 2025 at 8:04 PM
NABTU gets it.
“Equivalent of canceling 1000 keystone XLs”
"Biggest job killing Bill in the history of the country"
“Equivalent of canceling 1000 keystone XLs”
"Biggest job killing Bill in the history of the country"
Not just summer blackout risk. Winter too.
And likely increased risk in shoulder seasons when there are planned outages and decreased generation available.
And likely increased risk in shoulder seasons when there are planned outages and decreased generation available.
June 28, 2025 at 10:39 PM
Not just summer blackout risk. Winter too.
And likely increased risk in shoulder seasons when there are planned outages and decreased generation available.
And likely increased risk in shoulder seasons when there are planned outages and decreased generation available.
It will raise electricity prices, increase the likelihood of blackouts and brownouts, and reduce investment & jobs across the country.
The GOP bill is much worse for wind and solar than clean energy experts expected. Many were scrambling today to understand exactly what the additional tax on wind and solar means -- and how much it will slow investment.
From me and Evan Halper:
www.washingtonpost.com/climate-envi...
From me and Evan Halper:
www.washingtonpost.com/climate-envi...
GOP is on verge of sweeping victory in bid to gut clean energy economy
The Republican controlled Congress is poised to score a major victory for President Donald Trump by repealing green energy incentives that Democrats passed in the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022.
www.washingtonpost.com
June 28, 2025 at 10:30 PM
It will raise electricity prices, increase the likelihood of blackouts and brownouts, and reduce investment & jobs across the country.
Reposted by Whitney Muse
A sweeping victory to destroy hundreds of thousands of energy sector jobs, including for union workers, and raise electricity prices for every American.
The GOP bill is much worse for wind and solar than clean energy experts expected. Many were scrambling today to understand exactly what the additional tax on wind and solar means -- and how much it will slow investment.
From me and Evan Halper:
www.washingtonpost.com/climate-envi...
From me and Evan Halper:
www.washingtonpost.com/climate-envi...
GOP is on verge of sweeping victory in bid to gut clean energy economy
The Republican controlled Congress is poised to score a major victory for President Donald Trump by repealing green energy incentives that Democrats passed in the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022.
www.washingtonpost.com
June 28, 2025 at 7:39 PM
A sweeping victory to destroy hundreds of thousands of energy sector jobs, including for union workers, and raise electricity prices for every American.
Reposted by Whitney Muse
Robbie is right. This is much worse than full repeal for wind/solar. Adds 2 new taxes on wind and solar:
* new tax for wind/solar facilities (including rooftop solar) starting in 2028
* kills 5-year depreciation for wind solar
* new tax for wind/solar facilities (including rooftop solar) starting in 2028
* kills 5-year depreciation for wind solar
Well we have the new text from Senate Budget, and we did indeed see the high water mark in the Finance text.
The latest text is much worse: back to placed in service by and of 2027, same onerous and draconian FEOC requirements, NEW excise on tax on wind and solar.
The latest text is much worse: back to placed in service by and of 2027, same onerous and draconian FEOC requirements, NEW excise on tax on wind and solar.
June 28, 2025 at 1:50 PM
Robbie is right. This is much worse than full repeal for wind/solar. Adds 2 new taxes on wind and solar:
* new tax for wind/solar facilities (including rooftop solar) starting in 2028
* kills 5-year depreciation for wind solar
* new tax for wind/solar facilities (including rooftop solar) starting in 2028
* kills 5-year depreciation for wind solar
Reposted by Whitney Muse
Another sign that the dollar’s dominance is in trouble: US importers are increasingly being asked by their foreign counterparties to settle transactions in currencies other than the US dollar, such as euros, RMB, Mexican pesos, and Canadian dollars.
Many Exporters No Longer Want Dollars, US Bank Executive Says
When Paula Comings, the head of currency sales for US Bancorp, talks to US importers, she increasingly hears the same message: Their foreign counterparties no longer want to be paid in dollars.
www.bloomberg.com
June 16, 2025 at 11:18 PM
Another sign that the dollar’s dominance is in trouble: US importers are increasingly being asked by their foreign counterparties to settle transactions in currencies other than the US dollar, such as euros, RMB, Mexican pesos, and Canadian dollars.