Backers tout their carbon tax plan
Proponents of a marketoriented plan to fight climate change by taxing greenhousegas emissions and giving the revenue to U.S. taxpayers are starting a campaign to run advertisements as early as this fall and introduce legislation in Congress as early as next year.
The plan’s backers have formed a group called Americans for Carbon Dividends that will lobby for the plan. The group’s first event is on Wednesday and includes a number of well-known members, including Trent Lott, the former Senate Republican leader from Mississippi, and former Federal Reserve leader Janet Yellen.
The initiative has already won endorsements from some environmental groups, like the Nature Conservancy and Conservation International; fossil fuel giants like Exxon Mobil, Shell and BP; and major companies in renewable and nuclear energy and consumer goods.
The proposal would set an initial tax of $40 per ton of carbon dioxide produced and would raise the price over time. That would raise the cost of a gallon of gas by about 38 cents, the group says, with similar effects on household heating and other energy use. That could, in turn, encourage people and businesses to become more energy efficient.
To offset the higher prices, the tax revenue would be returned to consumers as a “carbon dividend.” The group estimates that the dividend would give a family of four about $2,000 in the first year. Kiewit puts office in Energy Corridor Kiewit Engineering Group has opened an office in the Energy Corridor to handle construction-driven engineering services in the oil, gas and chemical markets.
The company, which has other offices in The Woodlands, employs about 150 people at the new office at Energy Tower IV, 11750 Katy Freeway. It's also recruiting additional engineering and commissioning employees.
"Establishing an office in the Energy Corridor ensures that we are accessible to clients and readily equipped to provide the highest level of service — all while having access to outstanding talent as we continue to experience and see high growth in the markets we serve," Kiewit Engineering Group president of oil, gas and chemicals engineering Jay Norcross said in an announcement.
Kiewit's campus in the The Woodlands offers integrated engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning services to energy sector clients.
Energy Tower IV is a development of Mac Haik Realty. Ford, Volkswagen plan to collaborate
DETROIT — Ford and Volkswagen are exploring joint development of future commercial vehicles in a possible alliance that could lead to cooperation in other areas.
The companies announced the collaboration in a statement on Tuesday. They said that any alliance would not involve cross ownership stakes or including stock.
VW and Ford say an alliance would strengthen each company's competitiveness and better serve global customers. Ford would not give specifics about other areas for collaboration. American Airlines to trim positions
American Airlines plans to trim its ranks of upper management over the coming months as it winds down work on its nearly five-year integration with US Airways, company executives said Tuesday.
In a letter to employees, CEO Doug Parker and President Robert Isom said the Fort Worth-based carrier will be offering buyouts to employees and cutting some positions at or above the director level.
Parker and Isom said the company’s current corporate structure is largely a result of the work needed to integrate American and US Airways after the 2013 merger. With that work largely completed, the company won’t need as many managers for long-term operations.
American did not specify how many jobs would be cut. Boeing receives big FedEx jet order
Boeing Co. landed a deal for 24 cargo aircraft from FedEx Express worth $6.6 billion as the revival in the air freight market continues to take root.
The package-hauler plans to add 12 of Boeing’s medium-size 767 freighters and 12 of the larger 777 cargo aircraft to its order book, the Chicago-based plane maker said in a statement Tuesday.
FedEx Corp. is already the largest customer for both aircraft models.
The deal for the new aircraft will be added to Boeing’s orders and deliveries website once “certain contingencies” have been met, Boeing said. FedEx already is awaiting deliveries of 53 of the 767 freighters and 6 of Boeing’s 777 cargo planes.