What other environmental and energy legislation should Congress address now that a comprehensive climate policy has stalled in the Senate?

Numerous bills have been introduced, and in some cases passed out of committee, that take a more piecemeal approach than recent cap-and-trade measures. These include a bill by Sens. Tom Carper, D-Del., and Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., that would require utilities to cut emissions of three traditional air pollutants (mercury, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide); an electric vehicle measure by Alexander and Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D.; and a House bill that ramps up R&D for a variety of energy technologies. Other issues that may emerge this fall include a low carbon fuel standard and an ethanol mandate, which the administration has said it will decide on in November.

With just a few months left in this Congress and much of that time dominated by the midterm elections, should lawmakers redirect their efforts to smaller measures? What are the benefits or drawbacks of more piecemeal legislation? Should Congress continue pushing on cap-and-trade legislation or a renewable electricity standard, both of which fell victim to partisan politics over the summer?

9 responses: Rhone Resch, Kevin Knobloch, Gregory C. Staple, Brian Wynne, Teryn Norris, Don Furman, Lewis Hay, William O'Keefe, Denise Bode

Several recent weather events, including wildfires in Russia, floods in Pakistan and an ice sheet breaking off Greenland, have renewed a sense of urgency among environmental groups and progressive lawmakers such as House Global Warming Chairman Edward Markey that climate change is occurring -- and at a faster rate than previously assumed. They argue that the connection between climate change and a pattern of extreme weather is stronger than ever, but some scientists and skeptics of climate change say that connection cannot be made -- at least not with the data currently available.

Are extreme weather events, when considered collectively, evidence that climate change is occurring? If not, what are the missing links scientists still need to study in order to make a more conclusive find? Could these weather events revive congressional efforts to pass comprehensive climate legislation?

14 responses: David Parker, Peter Lehner, Amy Harder, Jonathan H. Adler, David Waskow, William O'Keefe, Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass., Kevin Knobloch, Bob Bendick, Larry Schweiger, William O'Keefe, Janet Larsen, Eileen Claussen, Amy Harder

What can or should Congress to do incentivize "clean coal" technology?

An administration task force said in a report last week that while the barriers to "clean coal" technology -- known as carbon capture and storage (CCS) -- can be overcome, deploying it on a wide scale means setting a price on carbon emissions. Evidence of the steep challenges the administration and private sector face in developing CCS recently surfaced when the Energy Department backed out of a plan to build a new "clean coal" power plant in Illinois. Instead, it awarded $1 billion in stimulus funding to retool an existing plant with CCS technology. No CCS power plants exist in the United States right now (there are only four in the world, according to the task force's report).

Is CCS technology a viable way to ensure the United States can continue using its most abundant source of energy? Or should Congress focus more on incentivizing other energy sources, such as renewables, nuclear and natural gas, which are already used commercially? Does the administration's report breathe new life into efforts to price carbon emissions?

10 responses: Paul Sullivan, Peter Lehner, Jon A. Anda, Margo Thorning, Carl Pope, Amy Harder, Bill Snape, William O'Keefe, Jonathan H. Adler, Jon A. Anda

Should the Obama administration give its approval to a controversial pipeline project that would transport Canadian crude oil to the United States?

The pipeline would allow the U.S. to import an additional half-million barrels of oil a day from Canada, which is already this country's top foreign supplier at about 1.9 million barrels a day. Much of Canada's oil is extracted from oil sands, a process that environmental groups say emits more greenhouse gases than conventional oil drilling. The EPA has requested more information about the environmental impact of the extraction process.

Because the project crosses international borders, it requires approval from the State Department. The department has said it expects to make its decision by the end of the year.

What benefits would the pipeline bring to U.S. energy policy? Would they be outweighed by the environmental concerns? Would this counteract the administration's goal of reducing the nation's dependence on foreign oil? What should be the overriding factors the State Department considers when making its decision?

13 responses: Paul Sullivan, Charles Drevna, Bill Snape, Jack Gerard, Bill Eichbaum, Erich Pica, Carl Pope, Peter Lehner, Kenny Bruno, Amy Harder, David Holt, Larry Schweiger, William O'Keefe

What can the U.S. do to keep up with China and other countries in the clean energy race?

The Senate has stalled action on legislation that prices carbon emissions and sets a renewable electricity standard, leading many energy experts to warn that the U.S. will fall far behind other countries, namely China and India, in developing clean energy like wind, solar, and "clean coal" technology, while continuing its dependence on fossil fuels.

What proposals in Congress right now would help spur the development of domestic clean energies? What can the administration do in this area to drive innovation and development? What does the U.S. risk in losing the clean energy race?

15 responses: Paul Sullivan, Maggie L. Fox, Skip Horvath, Amy Harder, Brian Wynne, Carl Pope, Denise Bode, Chuck Gray, Gary Fazzino, Karl Gawell, Bill Dickenson, William O'Keefe, Mark Muro, Amy Harder, Lewis Hay

How should Congress proceed now that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., has shelved comprehensive climate and energy legislation?

Reid said last week he will not take up legislation that prices carbon emissions or includes robust energy measures like a renewable electricity standard before the summer recess. The bill he intends to bring to the floor before Congress adjourns Aug. 6 will include provisions that address the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, boost home energy efficiency and incentivize the use of natural gas as a fuel.

Should senators continue hashing out details on proposals that cap power plants' carbon emissions with the hope that Reid will make time in the fall? Should the chamber instead work toward passing an energy-only bill that includes a RES and provisions incentivizing nuclear power and "clean coal" technology? How does this affect the upcoming EPA regulations over greenhouse gas emissions?

9 responses: Eileen Claussen, Margo Thorning, Amy Harder, Jon A. Anda, William O'Keefe, Bill Snape, Denise Bode, Charles Drevna, Bob Bendick

Should the Senate work toward legislation that prices carbon emissions in a limited way, or should it seek to pass an energy-only bill instead?

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has carved out a small window of opportunity for his chamber to introduce, debate and vote on an energy and climate package before the August recess. He intends to introduce his bill this week and bring it to the floor next week. That package, he has said, will include an oil spill title, a carbon pricing system that targets power plants, and numerous energy provisions.

What clean energy and climate provisions do you think Reid should include in his package? Should the legislation override EPA regulation of greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants? Do lawmakers, utilities and environmental groups have enough time to coalesce around anything before Congress adjourns?

15 responses: Richard Revesz, Jim Kerr, Bill Dickenson, Bill Meadows, Bill Johnson, Kateri Callahan, Maggie L. Fox, Jon A. Anda, Mindy Lubber, Jon A. Anda, Jennifer Morgan, Daniel J. Weiss, William O'Keefe, Paul Sullivan, Peter Lehner

Editor's Note: This week Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., is providing the question.

Should Congress push forward on offshore oil and natural gas exploration in light of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill? And should we be concerned that a moratorium on offshore drilling may make us even more dependent on foreign oil?

18 responses: Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Paul Sullivan, Thomas J. Pyle, Frank M. Stewart, Amy Harder, Brian Wynne, Peter Lehner, Jack Gerard, Jonathan Wootliff, Carl Pope, Rodger Schlickeisen, Victor Gilinsky, Jan Mueller, Bernard L. Weinstein, Mark A. Cohen, David Holt, William O'Keefe, Bill Snape

How does a federal ruling finding that the Obama administration does not have the legal authority to abandon Nevada's Yucca Mountain waste site affect U.S. nuclear energy policy?

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission's board ruled last week that the administration does not have the legal right to withdraw its license for the proposed nuclear waste repository site. President Obama has already yanked funding for the site, and many aspects of the project are being ramped down. The Energy Department plans to appeal the commission's ruling.

What should the federal government do to safely dispose of nuclear waste? Should a nuclear waste plan be included in any climate and energy bill? How does this decision by NRC affect the administration's ability to approve nuclear loans?

8 responses: David Holt, Chuck Gray, Erich Pica, Amy Harder, Christine Parthemore, Victor Gilinsky, Marvin Fertel, William O'Keefe

Updated at 10:33 a.m. on June 30.

Can President Obama, in his meeting this week with a bipartisan group of senators, rally the chamber to pass climate and energy legislation?

The meeting comes after Senate Democrats huddled last week to hash out a plan on the issue, the second time in two weeks. While no consensus emerged on a specific proposal, Democrats expressed a unified message that Congress must pass a bill now, citing the Gulf of Mexico oil spill and impending EPA regulation. But many key moderates, including Sens. Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia and Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas, did not attend.

What is your blueprint for how the White House should help lead the efforts to get 60 votes for a climate and energy bill? What -- if any -- specific proposal should Obama throw his support behind? Is the president's involvement a must-have for legislation to pass?

Obama Pushes Bill, Avoids Details

Following the meeting Tuesday, Obama released a statement affirming his support for putting a price on carbon emissions. But he also signaled openness to other approaches and stayed out of the legislative weeds, instead leaving leadership in the hands of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

How do you interpret Obama's statement and the senators' remarks after the meeting? Can senators rally around a bill that prices carbon emissions of utilities only, or should the Senate push forward with an energy-only bill? Is there enough time to get anything done before the August recess?

6 responses: Kateri Callahan, Amy Harder, Jonathan Wootliff, Denise Bode, Mark Muro, William O'Keefe