Anyone who has railed against the close ties between the current administration and the fossil fuel industry has to be breathing a sigh of relief as President Elect Obama fills out his cabinet with people who believe in Global Warming and want to institute a cap on greenhouse gas (ghg) emissions.  understand that energy independence is much more likely from alternative sources than thru use of fossil fuels.

Secretary of Interior nominee, Ken Salazar, is a long time proponent of renewable energy and an opponent of developing oil shale in the western US.  The Colorado Senator told yesterday’s press conference that the country needs a technical effort equivalent to the “moon shot” to bring energy independence to the US.  He is thought to be open to the idea of business exploiting Interior Department lands, while seeking to protect wilderness and the environment.  He appears to be impressed by both the environment and the need for economic growth and the need to balance them.

The choice of Lisa Jackson for EPA administrator brings a veteran of the EPA and more recently the NJ Dept. Evironmental Protection.  She seems to be an enforcer who feels the EPA has gone easy on the US auto mileage standards, but is also criticized for “caving into business”  on enforcement issue.  Add in former Clinton admin EPA administrator Carol Browner as Presidential advisor on energy and climate change, you see a team of moderates that leans towards new environmental and regulatory changes that have been adopted by the rest of the industrial world’s countries.