E2-Wire

House authors of that legislation also acknowledged that their $10 billion figure was somewhat arbitrary.

Two liberal coastal Democrats want an independent, nonpartisan commission created to probe the causes of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill and provide recommendations for avoiding future accidents.

The upcoming bill by Reps. Ed Markey (D-Mass.)  and Lois Capps (D-Calif.) comes amid growing criticism of federal offshore drilling safety rules and the oil giant BP’s contingency planning for a major accident.

“The commission would also be tasked with providing Congress with a full understanding of the consequences of this spill and possible future incidents to sensitive and ecologically important areas, as well as the economic impacts to ocean and coastal communities. Additionally, the commission would have subpoena power and the ability to hold public hearings, including in the Gulf region,” states a summary of the bill from the lawmakers.

Aides to Sens. John Kerry and Joseph Lieberman are scheduled to give business executives a closed-door briefing on climate change legislation on Friday morning.

Kathleen Frangione, a staff aide to Kerry, and Danielle Rosengarten, counsel and legislative assistant to Lieberman, are scheduled to discuss the legislation with members of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s energy and environment committee, according to an email invitation obtained by E2 Wire. An aide for Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who helped Kerry and Lieberman craft the climate bill, was originally scheduled to attend but backed out after Graham withdrew support for the legislation.

It remains unclear when the bill will be released publicly, although indications are that day is finally approaching. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), the chairwoman of the Environment & Public Works Committee, told reporters this week that Kerry and Lieberman planned to introduce the bill next week. Kerry has only committed to releasing the long-anticipated measure “very soon.” Lieberman, meanwhile, told Bloomberg that he expected the legislation to be introduced without Graham’s support.

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The Interior Department is formally suspending its planning for the sale of oil-and-gas leases off Virginia’s coast, underscoring new uncertainties about expanded drilling in the wake of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

Interior’s Minerals Management Service is canceling three public “scoping meetings” for the lease sale that were scheduled later this month, and indefinitely postponing the public comment period. The action will be announced in Friday's Federal Register.

The lease sale, which covers tracts at least 50 miles off Virginia’s coast, is slated for 2011 or 2012.

Two environmental groups are using the Gulf of Mexico oil spill to challenge politicians they oppose.

The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) on Thursday called on Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) to return campaign contributions from BP, which leased the drilling rig that exploded and sank last month, triggering the release of about 5,000 barrels a day of crude.

“It would be highly irresponsible and inappropriate for Senator Lincoln to continue to finance her campaign in these final days before the primary with BP’s tainted oil money,” said Tony Massaro, LCV’s vice president for political affairs.

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Sens. Kerry and Lieberman appear to be heading toward a climate and energy bill unveiling as soon as next week.

Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) suggested Thursday that a long-anticipated Senate climate and energy bill might not be ready for unveiling yet. 



Kerry, who's worked with Sens. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) on a compromise bill, was noncommittal on whether it would be rolled out next week.



"We haven't locked it in yet," Kerry told reporters at the Capitol. 

When asked what the timeline was, Kerry said, "As soon as we can." Kerry on Wednesday said the bill would be unveiled "very soon."

Over in our Blog Briefing Room, Michael O’Brien reports that the White House is swinging back at a top House Republican who questioned the administration’s response to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

Rep. Nick Rahall, chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, is opening up an investigation into the Gulf oil spill by focusing on whether the system designed to stop oil spills in a catastrophic accident work in deep waters.

A number of congressional committees plan to look into the cause of the oil leak a mile below the surface and how to prevent future accidents. Several aides from the Resources Committee have been sent to the Gulf to monitor the government’s and BP’s response to the spill.

In a letter to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, Rahall, a West Virginia Democrat, noted stories in the Wall Street Journal that raise questions about the regulation and operation of “blow-out preventers,” equipment designed to close wells in the result of a catastrophic accident.

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As we noted Wednesday, several Florida Democrats are pushing for new limits on offshore oil exploration, at least while the federal investigations into the Gulf of Mexico spill are underway.

On the West Coast, there's an effort to go even further.

Several House members from the West Coast want to permanently re-impose the moratoria on offshore drilling there, even though federal plans don’t even contemplate lease sales in Pacific waters. Bans on oil-and-gas leasing along the Atlantic and Pacific Coasts expired in 2008.

From the Congressional Record list of bills introduced Wednesday:

By Mr. GARAMENDI (for himself, Mr. FARR, Ms. WOOLSEY, Mr. SCHRADER, Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California, Ms. LEE of California, Mr. WU, Mr. THOMPSON of California, Ms. CHU, Mr. FILNER, Mr. DEFAZIO, Mr. BAIRD, Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD, Mr. SHERMAN, Ms. HARMAN, Mr. DICKS, Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California, Mr. BERMAN, Mr. STARK, and Mr. SCHIFF):

H.R. 5213. A bill to amend the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to permanently prohibit the conduct of offshore drilling on the  Outer Continental Shelf off the coast of California, Oregon, and Washington; to the Committee on Natural Resources.