Bingaman Holds Markup on Energy Package
Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), has scheduled a mark-up on Wednesday, May 2 on the following four energy-related bills:
- S. 731, requiring DOE to conduct a study on the potential for underground CO2 storage in the United States;
- S. 962, enhancing the current R&D program at DOE on carbon capture technologies;
- S. 1115, streamlining the process for adopting "consensus" efficiency standards for appliances and other products, and building upon some of the work already done in the Energy Policy Act of 2005, and;
- S. 987, encouraging the enhancement of biofuels.
The Chairman plans to "bundle" all four bills together and consider amendments at tomorrow's mark-up. In addition, Bingaman has decided to hold off on offering his federal renewable portfolio standard legislation (which is expected to require 15% renewables by 2020) as an amendment in Committee, and instead will do so when the bill moves to the Senate floor expected to be later this month.
In a separate but related matter, the Senate Finance Committee, which held a hearing on Monday on alternative fuel vehicles, is not expected to mark-up an energy package until mid-June. The Committee originally hopes to complete action in May. Morgan Meguire will keep you informed as this legislation moves forward in the Senate.
House Energy Package Moving on a Slightly Slower Schedule
Rep. Rick Boucher (D-VA), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Energy and Air Quality Subcommittee, said at a hearing today (5/1) that he is working on a bi-partisan "energy independence" bill, that will, at a minimum, address appliance efficiency standards." He indicated the Subcommittee "will consider a bill in the next few weeks, so these issues can be considered by the full House during July." This schedule is a bit slower than originally outlined by Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). (See related article below on Dingell-Boucher Memo to the Speaker.)
In addition, other House committees have been working on other targeted climate change issues. For example, the Ways and Means Committee is working on an energy tax incentive package and the Science Committee is pursuing legislation to authorize a range of research and development projects to reduce energy use and emissions. It is expected that these bills will be merged together and considered as one "energy bill" on the House floor, possibly during the month of July.
Dingell and Boucher Send Climate Change Memo to Speaker Pelosi
On March 30, House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman John Dingell (D-MI) and Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality Chairman Rick Boucher (D-VA) sent a memo to Speaker Pelosi highlighting their efforts to date on climate change. The memo detailed actions taken by the Committee and the conclusions they have reached so far.
This memo is important both because A) it shows the state of thinking of these two leaders in the climate change debate; and B) they are telling the Speaker that they intend to continue to build a substantive record to determine the facts and move "at a deliberate pace that allows for ideas to develop and solution that enjoy broad support to emerge."
It also appears to be a subtle way for the two chairmen to tell the Speaker that they are not likely to send her comprehensive climate legislation as quickly as she would like (before the July 4 recess) and to alert her to the fact that there is little consensus on how to tackle the big climate change issues.
Reps. Dingell and Boucher wrote that the following "general themes" have emerged from their hearings:
- The questions that have been raised about the "science" of global warming, and whether human activity is to blame, have largely been settled.
- The consensus view regarding responses to climate change is that any effort must be economy-wide and not limited to a few sectors of the economy;
- In order to combat climate change, technology must advance. This will require significant investment in carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) technology, so that the vast coal reserves of the U.S. can continue to be used to produce electricity;
- Developing countries must become engaged on this issue. This has been a particular concern for Republicans on the Committee.
- States and local governments are already acting to combat climate change.
Dingell and Boucher Release Views on Climate Change Legislation
On April 19, Reps. Dingell and Boucher published the responses of industry groups, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and labor unions to potential climate change legislation. The energy industry and environmental organizations had been asked to respond to the implications of a cap-and-trade system and other methods to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Dingell commented that the input from over 70 organizations has underlined "the challenge we have before us in balancing our environmental and economic needs." Dingell added that the committee will take into consideration the variety of concerns that have been expressed and that each sector of the economy will be asked to contribute to a solution. Boucher stated that the biggest challenge before the committee is to "write a mandatory greenhouse gas control measure with economy-wide application that does not dislocate any economic sector."
House Tax Committee Hears Testimony In Support of CREBs, other Energy Incentives
On Tuesday, April 24, House Ways and Means Select Revenue Subcommittee Chairman Richard Neal (D-MA) held a second in series of hearings on energy tax incentives, receiving testimony from over 20 Members of Congress, including Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA). Rep. McDermott, a member of the full committee, testified in support of two bills he recently introduced: H.R. 1821, a bill to extend and reform the Clean Renewable Energy Bond (CREB) program for public power; and H.R. 1385, a bill to provide tax incentives for energy efficiency reductions for residential and commercial properties, among other things. NEPPA has endorsed both bills.
Kerry Bill Bans Construction of New Coal Plants
Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) has introduced legislation that would ban the construction of new coal-fired power plants that are not capable of capturing and storing carbon dioxide. The "Clean Coal Act" would address the 150 proposed coal-fired plants in the U.S. Of those, only a little over a dozen would have carbon sequestration technology. Kerry said, "Unless we can build clean power plants, we should not be building them." Kerry acknowledged that this plan would be linked to tax credit legislation to assist carbon capture technologies. One of the biggest challenges regarding carbon capture and sequestration is having the technology ready when the carbon cap is implemented.
Pelosi Outlines Agenda for Markey's Select "Global Warming" Committee
At the League of Conservation Voters' annual meeting on April 26, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) outlined the agenda for the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. She said the new panel will focus on the coastal effects of climate change. The plan is for the panel to travel to China, India and Europe to meet with leaders in all of the countries. Pelosi would like the Chairman of the Committee, Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA), to create policy recommendations that will both inform the American public and "make real progress in blunting the harsh consequences of global warming over the next two years." Pelosi maintained that she wants to have climate change legislation on the floor by July 4; however, that legislation will not include a mandatory limit on greenhouse gases.
Sensenbrenner Seeks Solutions, Not Fear on Climate Change
Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI), the Ranking Republican on the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, urged caution with regard to climate change legislation during a hearing on April 18 titled, "Geopolitical Implications of Rising Oil Dependence and Global Warming."
He said that the debate regarding global warming has not been marked by common sense, and has "created a lot of hot air, which hasn't been good for Congress." Sensenbrenner also said that media hype instills fear but does not create solutions.
Sensenbrenner believes that the proposed solutions would have devastating effects on the economy and argued that soaring electricity rates and jobs moving to other countries are some of the negative aspects that would result from climate change mitigation policies. Sensenbrenner stated that Republican members of the select committee care about both the environment and the economy and will work to protect both. He said that new technologies, coupled with increased solar, wind and nuclear power, could reduce carbon emissions.