U.S. House Committee OKs Climate Emissions Cuts: 83% by 2050

By a vote of 33 to 25, the committee Thursday passed the American Clean Energy and Security Act, often called the Waxman-Markey bill after its two authors, Congressman Henry Waxman of California, who chairs the committee, and Congressman Ed Markey of Massachusetts, who chairs the Subcommittee on Energy and the Environment.

Congressman Henry Waxman (Photo by Bridgette Blair)

"Today the committee took decisive and historic action to promote America's energy security and to create millions of clean energy jobs that will drive our economic recovery and long-term growth," said Chairman Waxman.

"This bill, when enacted into law this year, will break our dependence on foreign oil, make our nation the world leader in clean energy jobs and technology, and cut global warming pollution," said Waxman.

"With this plan, we will shape a new energy destiny for our country, where we innovate more and pollute less," said Markey. "Today we have chosen bold action to preserve good paying jobs here in America and preserve our planet."

Congressman Ed Markey (Photo courtesy U.S. Congress)

Waxman and Markey were pleased that his stated goal of passing this bill out of committee by Memorial Day was met.

"In just eight weeks, Chairman Waxman and I, working with our entire committee, have moved us farther down the path toward energy independence than our country had moved in the past eight years," said Markey.

The American Clean Energy and Security Act will create millions of new clean energy jobs, save consumers hundreds of billions of dollars in energy costs, enhance America's energy independence, and cut global warming pollution.

President Barack Obama commended Chairman Waxman and the members of the Energy and Commerce Committee for a successful effort to pass a comprehensive energy and climate bill out of committee.

"We are now one step closer to delivering on the promise of a new clean energy economy that will make America less dependent on foreign oil, crack down on polluters, and create millions of new jobs all across America," President Obama said.

"The bill is historic for what it achieves, providing clean energy incentives that encourage innovation while recognizing the concerns of sensitive industries and regions in this country," the President said. "And this achievement is all the more historic for bringing together many who have in the past opposed a common effort, from labor unions to corporate CEOs, and environmentalists to energy companies."

The legislation has four titles:

• A clean energy title that promotes renewable sources of energy, carbon capture and sequestration technologies, clean electric vehicles, and the smart grid and electricity transmission.


• An energy efficiency title that increases energy efficiency across all sectors of the economy, including buildings, appliances, transportation, and industry.


• A global warming title that places limits on emissions of heat-trapping pollutants and establishes a cap-and-trade system of limiting carbon emissions and trading in emissions allowances. This would cut global warming pollution by 17 percent compared to 2005 levels in 2020, by 42 percent in 2030, and by 83 percent in 2050. These are science-based targets and within the range agreed to by the U.S. Climate Action Partnership, USCAP, a coalition of some of America's largest corporations and environmental NGOs.


• A title that protects U.S. consumers and industry and promotes green jobs during the transition to a clean energy economy.

"We have legitimate and serious concerns about the redirection of our energy policy in America, which is the foundation and bedrock of our free market economy, the most productive and the largest in the world," said Congressman Joe Barton of Texas, the committee's ranking Republican. "A third of the world's GDP is based on the United States economy and that economy for over 150 years has been based on a free market allocation of resources in the energy sector. This bill makes fundamental changes in that basic philosophy."

Congressman Joe Barton (Photo courtesy Office of the Congressman)

Barton complained that committee Democrats rejected "56 separate Republican efforts to learn the full cost of the bill."

"One estimate puts its price per family of four at $29,373.85 over 10 years," Barton said. "Another estimate is that it will raise electricity rates 90 percent after adjusting for inflation, and boost gasoline prices 74 percent and natural gas prices 55 percent."

Barton said, "We do accept that it would be better for the economy if we were less carbon-intensive, so instead of a cap-and-trade mechanism that's very complicated, we take a page out of the current the law, the Clean Air Act, and set performance standards. We set a limit on the amount of CO2. This substitute is comprehensive. It would work."

But the Waxman-Markey measure has received wide support from electric utilities, energy companies, manufacturing, industry, and corporate companies, labor unions, as well as community and environmental organizations.

Former Vice President Al Gore (Photo courtesy U.S. Congress)

Former Vice President and Alliance for Climate Protection Chairman Al Gore, who has worked for years to alert the world to the dangers of climate change, said the measure would create jobs.

"The bill represents a crucial step forward in addressing the global climate crisis, the need for millions of new green jobs to end the recession, and the national security threats that have long been linked to our growing dependence on foreign oil and other fossil fuels."

Frances Beinecke, president of the Natural Resources Defense Council, said, "That so many environmental, business, labor, and other organizations have joined with members of Congress to pass energy and climate legislation is a testament to its immense economic and energy potential."

"Chairmen Waxman and Markey have done the heavy lifting and cleared the path for this bill to move through the House and to the Senate. We urge Congress to move quickly on one of President Obama's top priorities, by passing legislation that will jumpstart our economy, curb global warming, create jobs, and protect our national security."

Joseph Mendelson, director of global warming policy at the National Wildlife Federation, said, "Committee passage of comprehensive energy legislation is a shot heard around the world. It marks a historic turning point in climate politics that secures America's role as a leader in the clean energy revolution."

"Diverse constituents from across this country, from hunters and anglers to people of faith, have called on Congress to tackle the climate crisis that threatens our natural resources and health," said Mendelson. "Tonight, the Energy and Commerce Committee has responded and we will be pressing for the rest of Congress to follow suit this summer."

Allegheny Energy Supply's Mitchell power plant in Pennsylvania burns coal and heavy oil. (Photo courtesy University of Pittsburgh)

U.S. Climate Action Partnership, USCAP, a diverse coalition of some of America's largest corporations and environmental NGOs, while supportive of the measure, will also work with lawmakers to achieve desired changes.

In a statement Tuesday, USCAP said the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 "broadly embraces the approach recommended in the USCAP Blueprint for Legislative Action that we issued in January 2009."

"There are several key linked issues that must fit together to ensure a climate protection program is environmentally effective, economically sustainable and fair. In some instances, that does not occur in this legislation. Additionally, the bill covers topics not addressed in the Blueprint or in some cases is more detailed than the USCAP recommendations. Individual USCAP members will continue to work with Congress to address these matters in a satisfactory manner."

Jonathan Lash, president of the World Resources Institute, said, "As a founding member of the United States Climate Action Partnership, WRI welcomes this important first step in fulfilling the partnership's goal of ‘prompt enactment of national legislation in the U.S. to slow, stop, and reverse the growth of greenhouse gas emissions over the shortest time reasonably achievable.'"

"With this bill, the committee has seized a triple opportunity: to combat climate change, to enhance our nation's security, and to unleash American ingenuity for building the economy of tomorrow," said Lash.

PacifiCorp's Hunter power plant in Utah burns coal. (Photo by Utah Geological Survey)

The nation's mayors worry that funding for cities' efforts to reduce emissions is not included in the measure. U.S. Conference of Mayors CEO and Executive Director Tom Cochran said, "We're concerned that the committee agreed on a bill that provides billions of dollars for state governments but excludes direct funding for cities, which is where the majority of climate protection actions have been taking place as demonstrated by the 950 Mayors who have signed The U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement."

"We're recommending that at least 20 percent of the direct proceeds from auctions created by this bill that goes to states, instead go directly to cities to support efforts already underway by nearly 1,000 mayors," said Cochran.

Some environmental groups, too, are critical of the legislation. They say it does not go far enough to combat global warming.

Brent Blackwelder, president of Friends of the Earth, said, "Chairman Waxman and the Energy and Commerce Committee should be commended for their effort to find a path forward on global warming. Unfortunately, the result of their effort has been corrupted by members of Congress backed by oil and coal interests. As currently written, the legislation fails to take the dramatic national and international actions necessary to avoid the worse impacts of climate change and spur the development of a truly clean energy economy. As a result, Friends of the Earth cannot support this bill."

The oil and gas industry does not support the bill in its current form and uses fear of higher energy prices and job losses to fight the measure.

American Petroleum Institute President Jack Gerard said, "This inequitable approach, by itself, will produce additional unemployment, driving annual job destruction totals related to the legislation to more than one million." He predicts gas prices will again hit $4 a gallon if this bill is enacted.

Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 2009. All rights reserved.