By Richard Cowan
WASHINGTON, June 17 (Reuters) - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on Thursday emerged from a meeting with fellow Democrats refusing to embrace energy and environment legislation that would put a price on carbon dioxide pollution as a way of reducing greenhouse gases.
'There were a number of discussions today on how we can arrive at what is best for the country and of course pricing carbon is part of that discussion,' Reid said.
The Democratic leader was responding to a reporter's question on whether he would commit to moving legislation this year that puts a price on carbon, which would rise over the years and encourage the use of cleaner energy sources.
While Reid did not reject the controversial carbon trading program that has been approved by the House of Representatives and won some praise from President Barack Obama this week, he said the legislation was still 'a work in progress.'
Countries around the world are watching the Senate intently to see whether it will back up Obama's promise to cut carbon dioxide emissions with a strong, mandatory program for electric power utilities, factories and the transportation sector.
Senate Democrats huddled in the Capitol for an hour to hear competing ideas on how to tackle global warming.
Afterward, Senator John Rockefeller said he has received assurances of a Senate vote this year on his proposal to impose a two-year moratorium on Environmental Protection Agency regulations on greenhouse gas emissions. A Republican move to permanently ban such regulations failed earlier this month.
Rockefeller, who represents big-league coal producer West Virginia, argues the time-out would give Congress more time to write climate control legislation and for 'clean coal' technology to advance.
In a prepared statement, Rockefeller also warned senators against tackling comprehensive climate change legislation this year, a move he said would spark a 'bitter fight.'
Reid is in the unenviable position of deciding, along with Obama, which approach to take in this election year. Some lawmakers are hoping to avoid casting votes on climate legislation that could raise energy and other consumer prices.
HOPING FOR NEW JOBS
Senator Joseph Lieberman, an independent who co-authored a climate change bill with Democratic Senator John Kerry, told reporters after the meeting, 'This is going to be a long journey ... for the rest of the year.' He acknowledged the debate could stretch beyond the Nov. 2 congressional election.
During Thursday's huddle in the Capitol, Kerry and Lieberman presented arguments for passing their climate bill, which embraces Obama's goal for a 17 percent cut in carbon emissions by 2020, from 2005 levels. They would do so by requiring utilities, and later on manufacturers, to buy pollution permits that could be traded on a regulated market.
The aim, Kerry told reporters, is to create new jobs through alternative energy. 'You have to create demand (for alternative energy) in the United States,' Kerry said. 'The only way to create that demand is to price carbon.'
The Kerry-Lieberman bill would also expand nuclear power generation -- with a helping hand from the government -- and expand offshore oil drilling, but with hastily added protections in response to BP's Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
Senator Maria Cantwell countered with a proposal to lower planet-warming pollution by requiring coal and oil companies, which sell fuel to utilities and factories, to buy pollution permits in a much more limited trading scheme. Consumers would receive checks each month to help cover higher energy costs.
While the climate-control part of the Democratic bill is not yet set, it is likely that sometime in July senators will debate at least two other parts of the energy puzzle.
Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Jeff Bingaman has legislation to accelerate new, clean energy technologies and require utilities to meet 15 percent of their electricity sales through renewable energy sources.
Democrats are likely to attach to that measure wide-ranging legislation clamping down on offshore oil drilling operations and increasing industry liability in accidents like the BP disaster.
Next week, Obama is expected to meet with lawmakers to discuss how far to go on climate change legislation this year. And Senate Democrats will hold another meeting of their membership to gauge sentiment.
(Additional reporting by Thomas Ferraro, Charles Abbott and Donna Smith; editing by Bill Trott and Todd Eastham) Keywords: CLIMATE USA/CONGRESS (richard.cowan@thomsonreuters.com; 202-898-8391; Reuters Messaging; richard.cowan.reuters.com@reuters.net) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2010. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
WASHINGTON, June 17 (Reuters) - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on Thursday emerged from a meeting with fellow Democrats refusing to embrace energy and environment legislation that would put a price on carbon dioxide pollution as a way of reducing greenhouse gases.
'There were a number of discussions today on how we can arrive at what is best for the country and of course pricing carbon is part of that discussion,' Reid said.
The Democratic leader was responding to a reporter's question on whether he would commit to moving legislation this year that puts a price on carbon, which would rise over the years and encourage the use of cleaner energy sources.
While Reid did not reject the controversial carbon trading program that has been approved by the House of Representatives and won some praise from President Barack Obama this week, he said the legislation was still 'a work in progress.'
Countries around the world are watching the Senate intently to see whether it will back up Obama's promise to cut carbon dioxide emissions with a strong, mandatory program for electric power utilities, factories and the transportation sector.
Senate Democrats huddled in the Capitol for an hour to hear competing ideas on how to tackle global warming.
Afterward, Senator John Rockefeller said he has received assurances of a Senate vote this year on his proposal to impose a two-year moratorium on Environmental Protection Agency regulations on greenhouse gas emissions. A Republican move to permanently ban such regulations failed earlier this month.
Rockefeller, who represents big-league coal producer West Virginia, argues the time-out would give Congress more time to write climate control legislation and for 'clean coal' technology to advance.
In a prepared statement, Rockefeller also warned senators against tackling comprehensive climate change legislation this year, a move he said would spark a 'bitter fight.'
Reid is in the unenviable position of deciding, along with Obama, which approach to take in this election year. Some lawmakers are hoping to avoid casting votes on climate legislation that could raise energy and other consumer prices.
HOPING FOR NEW JOBS
Senator Joseph Lieberman, an independent who co-authored a climate change bill with Democratic Senator John Kerry, told reporters after the meeting, 'This is going to be a long journey ... for the rest of the year.' He acknowledged the debate could stretch beyond the Nov. 2 congressional election.
During Thursday's huddle in the Capitol, Kerry and Lieberman presented arguments for passing their climate bill, which embraces Obama's goal for a 17 percent cut in carbon emissions by 2020, from 2005 levels. They would do so by requiring utilities, and later on manufacturers, to buy pollution permits that could be traded on a regulated market.
The aim, Kerry told reporters, is to create new jobs through alternative energy. 'You have to create demand (for alternative energy) in the United States,' Kerry said. 'The only way to create that demand is to price carbon.'
The Kerry-Lieberman bill would also expand nuclear power generation -- with a helping hand from the government -- and expand offshore oil drilling, but with hastily added protections in response to BP's Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
Senator Maria Cantwell countered with a proposal to lower planet-warming pollution by requiring coal and oil companies, which sell fuel to utilities and factories, to buy pollution permits in a much more limited trading scheme. Consumers would receive checks each month to help cover higher energy costs.
While the climate-control part of the Democratic bill is not yet set, it is likely that sometime in July senators will debate at least two other parts of the energy puzzle.
Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Jeff Bingaman has legislation to accelerate new, clean energy technologies and require utilities to meet 15 percent of their electricity sales through renewable energy sources.
Democrats are likely to attach to that measure wide-ranging legislation clamping down on offshore oil drilling operations and increasing industry liability in accidents like the BP disaster.
Next week, Obama is expected to meet with lawmakers to discuss how far to go on climate change legislation this year. And Senate Democrats will hold another meeting of their membership to gauge sentiment.
(Additional reporting by Thomas Ferraro, Charles Abbott and Donna Smith; editing by Bill Trott and Todd Eastham) Keywords: CLIMATE USA/CONGRESS (richard.cowan@thomsonreuters.com; 202-898-8391; Reuters Messaging; richard.cowan.reuters.com@reuters.net) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2010. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.