In Washington this week, the energy and climate front was packed with hearings, proposals, and negotiations in preparation for several happenings at the end of the year. Both chambers of Congress continue their talks on a full fiscal 2016 budget, with both tax extenders and lifting the 40 year old crude oil export ban on the negotiating table. Yesterday, the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy and Power continued Congressional scrutiny of the Clean Power Plan in a hearing entitled “EPA’s CO2 Regulations for New and Existing Power Plants: Legal Perspectives.”

Meanwhile, the White House continues preparations for the U.N. Climate Summit. On October 19 the Obama Administration hosted 68 companies that signed on to the American Business Act on Climate Pledge. At the Department of Energy, the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy announced October 7 up to $30 million for the Single-pane Highly Insulating Efficient Lucid Designs program to reduce heat-loss for improved building efficiency by developing innovative materials that are transparent and insulating to retrofit existing single-pane windows.