Senate Climate and Energy Bill

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May it stay in committee forever and a day.

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Senate Climate and Energy Bill

 
This Wednesday, Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and John Kerry (D-Mass.) introduced the long-awaited Senate clean energy and climate bill, the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act. The Senate bill is similar to the American Clean Energy and Security Act that was passed in June by the House of Representatives, except that the Senate bill has a stronger cap on greenhouse gas emissions. It calls for a 20 percent reduction of GHG emissions over 2005 levels by 2020, and an 80 percent reduction by 2050.

In a press statement, Apollo Alliance Chairman Phil Angelides called the bill "a giant leap forward in our national push to establish energy security, reduce harmful carbon emissions, and stabilize our economy." He also vowed that Apollo would "work hard to support and strengthen this proposal by pushing for critical 'Make it in America' provisions to ensure that new green jobs are created here at home, as well as in other parts of the world."

In addition to the stronger emissions cap, the Senate clean energy bill also differs from the House bill in that it offers more support for nuclear power and natural gas. While details regarding the allocation of GHG allowances were not published along with the introduction of the bill, Sen. Boxer has indicated that they will mirror the structure of the House bill, which refunded 70 percent of allowance revenue to consumers. Green jobs advocates will be pleased with the Senate bill's inclusion of strong support for building energy efficiency retrofits and establishment of a Green Construction Careers Demonstration Project. Also important to working people is a provision that will provide transition assistance for workers in carbon-intensive industries who lose their jobs in the transition to a clean energy economy.

Overall, we at the Apollo Alliance share the sentiments of Sen. Kerry, who wrote an op-ed for The Huffington Post about the introduction of the Senate bill: "After decades of debate, years of avoiding the challenge, billions spent on the status quo keeping us stuck in the past, it's time for us to seize control of our energy future, our planet's future, our security future, and our economic future."

You can read the complete Apollo Alliance analysis of the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act.

What about the IMPACT Act?

Sen. Sherrod Brown's clean energy manufacturing bill, the IMPACT Act, is not currently included in the Senate clean energy and climate bill. However, an article in The Hill explains how critical this provision will be in winning support for the bill from Midwestern senators.

"They don't get the votes from Midwestern industrial-state senators unless manufacturing is a major component of this," Sen. Brown told The Hill in an interview for the article "Climate bill hinges on Ohio's Sen. Brown."

Click here to read the full article.

EPA to regulate GHG emissions

In case the Senate fails to take timely action to reduce GHG emissions, the Environmental Protection Agency is ready to step in and fill the void. On the same day that Sens. Boxer and Kerry introduced their clean energy bill, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson announced a new EPA rule that will require large industrial facilities that emit more than 25,000 tons of GHGs per year to use the best practices and technologies available to minimize their GHG emissions.

According to a 2007 Supreme Court ruling, GHG emissions, including carbon dioxide, are air pollutants and are covered by the Clean Air Act, which is administered by the EPA. The EPA has already announced plans to regulate GHG emissions from vehicles, but the rule announced on Wednesday will be the agency's first effort to regulate GHG emissions from stationary sources like power plants, oil refineries and large manufacturing facilities. The rule would cover only facilities that emit large amounts of GHGs, but these sources account for nearly 70 percent of the nation's GHG emissions from stationary sources.

The way the rule would work is that any new facilities or facilities that are being modified would be required to obtain a permit demonstrating that they have implemented the best practices and technologies to reduce their GHG emissions. The EPA expects about 400 facilities per year to obtain such permits. Overall, approximately 14,000 facilities will be covered by the rule.

The EPA's decision may give pause to the forces that are fighting against a comprehensive clean energy and climate bill. They need to decide if they'd rather have a climate policy crafted by Congress, which would probably leave some aspect of GHG emissions reductions to market forces; or whether they'd prefer a policy designed by the EPA, whose arsenal is mainly comprised of regulations. Of course, some climate action opponents will choose to fight Congress and the EPA.

To comment on the new EPA rule, go to http://www.regulations.gov.

Dennis Spisak

Mahoning Valley Green Party

Ohio Green Party

www.ohiogreens.org

www.votespisak.org./thinkgreen/