Mark Brownstein

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Mark Brownstein is the Deputy Director of the Energy Program of the Environmental Defense Fund.

Background

A biographical note states that Brownstein "leads EDF's efforts on smart grid deployment, transmission development, wholesale and retail electric market design, and the environmentally sustainable siting of both renewable and conventional utility scale generation. Mark was one of two EDF staff leads on the United States Climate Action Partnership, a coalition of the nation's leading corporations and environmental groups championing immediate action on federal legislation to cap and substantially reduce greenhouse gas pollution across the U.S. economy. He is co-author of the Carbon Principles, a set of enhanced due diligence principles for investment banks considering the financing of coal fired power plants."

The background note states that "prior to joining EDF, Mark was director of Enterprise Strategy for Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG), where he worked directly with PSEG's senior leadership in crafting and implementing the corporation's business strategy. Over his nearly 10-year career with PSEG, Mark served the company in a variety of environmental management roles, including director of Environmental Strategy and Policy. Mark was active in numerous environmental legislative and regulatory proceedings including efforts to develop federal legislation limiting emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, mercury, and carbon dioxide from power plants, and the Environmental Council of States' (ECOS) 37-state Ozone Transport Assessment Group (OTAG) process, which developed specific recommendations to address the persistent problem of ozone transport in the eastern United States. Mark was also an active member of the U.S. EPA's Clean Air Act Advisory Committee and New Jersey’s Renewable Energy Task Force. Aside from PSEG, Mark's career includes time as an attorney in private environmental practice, a regulator with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, and an aide to then-Congressman Robert G. Torricelli (D–NJ)."

Promoting Carbon Capture and Storage

In a May 2010 presentation to the the Obama administration's Interagency Task Force on Carbon Capture and Storage, he argued that establishing a price on carbon was essential to encouraging CCS as was "development & deployment dollars". Where other presenters emphasized technical and financial challenges, Brownstein identified ""public confidence" as a potential hurdle. Winning public confidence, he argued, would require a "thoughtful regulatory framework", "good geology", "risk management in private sector" and "public education & outreach".

Articles and resources

Related GEM.wiki articles

• Carbon Capture and Storage
• Carbon Capture and Storage in the United States

External articles

• Mark Brownstein, "CCS Deployment: Search for the Magic Feather", Proceedings of the public meeting of Interagency Task Force on Carbon Capture and Storage, Washington D.C., May 6, 2010.