April 2010 Archives

Does Sen. Lindsey Graham's decision to quit the climate and energy negotiations with Sens. John Kerry and Joe Lieberman spell the end of such legislation this year?

Citing the Senate leadership's indication that Congress may move on immigration policy before climate and energy, Graham said Saturday he was going to quit the negotiations absent a clear message from the leadership that climate and energy policy was the priority.

How does Graham's decision affect negotiations going forward? Should Congress bring to the floor the energy-only bill passed out of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee last year? What other options does Congress have at this point to pass a comprehensive energy and climate bill this year?

10 responses: Denise Bode, Bill Snape, Frances Beinecke, Kateri Callahan, Jon A. Anda, Larry Schweiger, Dirk Forrister, William O'Keefe, Kevin Knobloch, Bill Snape

Editor's Note: This week, Connie Hedegaard, the European Union's commissioner for climate action, is providing the question.

While some argue that the U.S. cannot afford climate and energy legislation, my question is: Can the U.S. afford not to have ambitious legislation that paves the way for a more energy-efficient future? We all know that we are in for a future where energy and resources will be still more expensive, and the companies and nations that are the most energy-efficient will prosper the most.

19 responses: Keya Chatterjee, Alan Oxley, Craig Rucker, Ned Helme, Connie Hedegaard, James C. May, Marlo Lewis, Stephen Eule, Connie Hedegaard, Denise Bode, Gary Fazzino, Steven Stoft, Kateri Callahan, Marlo Lewis, David Doniger, Frances Beinecke, William O'Keefe, Craig Rucker, Bill Snape

Should federal climate change and energy legislation pre-empt the EPA and the states from controlling greenhouse gas emissions?

Last week, attorneys general from several coastal states called on the Senate to allow the states to adopt climate change mandates that are more aggressive than the federal laws. In a letter to Senate legislation authors John Kerry, D-Mass.; Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.; and Joe Lieberman, I/D-Conn., the state officials recommended federal legislation that "capitalizes on, and does not abandon, the significant progress that has been achieved through numerous State efforts to address global warming pollution."

But U.S. energy companies and manufacturers are adamant that the Senate climate bill pre-empt the states and the EPA's Clean Air Act authority to control greenhouse gases. Who's right? Is there a middle ground? How critical is this issue in the ongoing climate change negotiations?

12 responses: Donna Harman, Jack Gerard, Frances Beinecke, Chuck Gray, Barry Russell, Robert J. Shapiro, Jon A. Anda, William O'Keefe, Bill Becker, Cal Dooley, Bill Snape, Eileen Claussen