Reid confirms July energy debate, eyes limited carbon curbs

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) plans to bring broad energy legislation to the Senate floor as soon as the week of July 26 that will include provisions to limit greenhouse gas emissions from electric power plants.

“We hope to be able to do it the week after next,” he told reporters in the Capitol Tuesday.

His comments confirm that Democratic leaders are clearing room to debate controversial energy measures ahead of the August recess, and will attempt to include climate change provisions despite major hurdles.

Reid said the legislation, which remains under development, would include four titles. 

One will address the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, another will seek to boost “clean energy” job creation and consumer savings, while a third will reduce energy consumption, he said. 

The fourth, he added, would address “pollution” from electric utilities. 

“We are looking at a way of making sure that when we talk about pollution, we are focused just on the utility section,” Reid said. 

In a sign of the political volatility of the climate debate, Reid steered clear of discussing greenhouse gas emissions specifically, noting instead that pollution refers to “bad stuff in the air.” But a Senate aide confirmed the focus on greenhouse gases.

Several Senate lawmakers — including Sens. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) and Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) — are working on scaled-back climate legislation that would limit heat-trapping emissions from electric power plants, rather than pushing a more sweeping and complex “economy-wide” climate plan.

Reid said he plans to meet Tuesday afternoon with Energy Secretary Steven Chu, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and White House climate and energy adviser Carol Browner.