With the nation's attention fixed on the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, Sens. John Kerry and Joe Leiberman thought today would be a good time introduced a new climate/energy bill.
They hope that the can capitalize on the public's disgust with pollution to push the measure through before the mid-term elections, according to a story in the Washington Post.
It doesn't have the cap and trade set-up that's in the House bill and has brought so much resistence from Republicans, but it has limits for certain industries. It has incentives for nuclear energy and new technology to trap emmission from coal. And it has money for transportation infrastructure and efficiency improvements.
Kerry says on his website, "The American Power Act will transform our economy, set us on the path toward energy independence and improve the quality of the air we breathe. It will create millions of good jobs that cannot be shipped abroad and it will launch America into a position of leadership in the global clean energy economy."
He also said the bill will reduce carbon pollution by 17 percent in 2020 and by more than 80 percent in 2050.
He provides a section by section summary of the bill.
Reactions from industry aren't totally good. But environmentalists are, not surprisingly, more enthusiastic.
Frances Beinecke, president of the Natural Resources Defense Council, says, for example, "The growing oil catastrophe in the Gulf and the Massey mine disaster have demonstrated beyond any reasonable doubt that we must start now to end our dangerous dependence on dirty energy, move toward safe and clean energy, and steadily cut carbon pollution. The bill released today by Senators Kerry and Lieberman marks an important step toward passage of comprehensive clean energy and climate legislation by the Senate."
But she and other environmentalist have some problems with the bill. They don't think it goes far enough to control pollution, for one. And they don't all like nuclear energy, and they certainly don't like any incentives for states to approve more offshore drilling, which this bill offers. Though, it also allows for some veto power.
So, anyone think the bill has a chance this year, with an election coming and other issues still left unattended, including a Supreme Court nominee, an immigration bill?
Baltimore Sun file photo