12 Dems press Reid on carbon curbs as energy bill talks continue

A largely liberal group of 12 Senate Democrats are urging Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to ensure that upcoming energy legislation imposes curbs on greenhouse gas emissions.

The new pressure comes amid a flurry of Capitol Hill meetings about the shape of the upcoming energy bill, which is expected on the floor as soon as next week.

“The single most important action we can take to reform our energy policy and make the United States a leader in the global clean energy economy is to make polluters pay for the pollution they emit,” states a letter from the 12 senators to Reid on Wednesday.

“President Obama has consistently called for establishing a price on carbon as part of any comprehensive clean energy legislation Congress passes,” it adds.

The letter is from Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Ted Kaufman (D-Del.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), and Al Franken (D-Minn.).

It notes that, “A price on carbon can be achieved in a number of different ways” but should at least yield a 10 percent reduction in greenhouse gas pollution from 2009 levels by 2020, and an 83 percent reduction by 2050, and return most of the revenue generated to households.

The call for carbon provisions is part of a broader set of recommendations in the letter on energy legislation addressing the BP oil spill and low-carbon energy, such as rolling back subsidies for major oil companies and a strong national renewable electricity standard.

Climate advocates face an uphill battle — against the clock and resistance from Republicans and some centrist Democrats – to keep emissions curbs alive politically.

Reid expects to bring energy legislation to the floor next week, spokesman Jim Manley said. Reid said last week that the measure would include proposals to limit emissions from power plants, in addition to measures responding to the oil spill, curbing energy demand and boosting “clean” sources.

But there are widespread doubts about the likelihood of moving legislation with climate provisions before the August break, if at all.

Sens. John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), who are negotiating with environmental groups and power companies on a utility-focused climate plan, acknowledge that reaching a breakthrough agreement would be tremendously difficult in the short span before the August break.

“It is okay with me to wait until September. If Senator Reid is going to go with a utility-only bill with a carbon cap, it is clear that the utilities whose support we need for it are not ready to give that support in the next week or 10 days, because it is a whole new bill,” Lieberman said in the Capitol Wednesday.

Lieberman noted there are “rumors” that Reid may move ahead with an oil-spill-related bill before the break and address the climate plan after lawmakers return.

The push by the 12 senators to keep emissions limits in play comes amid a flurry of meetings on Capitol Hill on the eve of a Senate Democratic caucus meeting Thursday to try to determine the path forward on energy and possibly climate legislation this year. 



The heads of the Sierra Club, Environment Defense Fund and the Natural Resources Defense Council huddled with Senate Democratic leaders in Senate Reid’s office. They are discussing whether any energy strategy can include a first-time carbon-pricing program focused on electric utilities. Later, a larger group — including officials from the Center for American Progress and League of Conservation Voters — gathered in Sen. Charles Schumer’s (D-N.Y.) office one floor down from Reid’s in the Capitol Building.



The discussions with Senate Democratic leaders come amid a possible messaging mix-up in their ranks. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said in a published report Wednesday that an energy bill will not come up for debate on the Senate floor this summer. But his spokesman quickly clarified that Durbin “misspoke” and that Reid “intends to bring up some form of an energy measure next week.”

Whatever the timing, Sanders isn’t optimistic about a climate bill.

“Despite the overwhelming evidence about global warming, despite the clear reality that we can create millions of good paying jobs, the Republicans are putting politics way ahead of the needs of the American people and this planet, and if you don’t have any Republican votes it is very, very difficult to do anything significant. Period,” the Vermont independent told reporters in the Capitol Wednesday.

“And then you have some conservative Democrats who have their own problems. That’s the reality and that is where we are today,” he added.