House Climate Bill: What It Is, What It Isn't

The major provisions of the House climate and energy bill call for:

_ Reducing greenhouse gases by 17 percent from 2005 levels by 2020 and 83 percent by 2050 through a cap-and-trade program that allows pollution permits to be bought and sold.

_ Capping emissions from major industrial sources, including power plants, factories, refineries and electricity and natural gas distributors.

_ Controlling carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels and six other greenhouse gases.

_ Allowing companies to meet emission targets by investing in projects elsewhere such as tree planting, forest conservation.

_ Requiring electric utilities to produce at least 12 percent of their power from renewable sources such wind and solar energy by 2020, and requiring another 8 percent in energy efficiency savings.

_ Imposing tighter performance standards on new coal-fired power plants and providing $1 billion a year for development for capturing carbon dioxide from such power plants.

_ Directing that building codes target energy efficiency, and requiring more stringent appliance efficiency standards.

Comments

[RTIII]

Not nearly enough, but it's a start...
.

[Javani]

What it is?

Negotiation on future price of carbon offsets. Plus obfuscation of the prime motivators--Wall Street Finance licking their chops for carbon derivative markets.

"Forests"

Rather, mythical Chinese CO2 abatement projects. Pelosi is in China now, trying to get the Chinese to pretend to do something with general targets so the carbon offset money can flow from America as it does from Europe to China. She will trade in her pro-Tibet chits for that. The Climate Bill must be in trouble if she has to make such a big splash in China.

[American50]

hopefully they will make obama turn the white house t stat down, save energy mr o

http://wwwamericanpatriot-vance.blogspot.com/

[quidam56]

To me, living in the heart of Appalachia, it's disturbing that Mountaintop Removal is never addressed when we speak of energy and coal. Wise County, VA is being decapitated, our land is turning into a toxic moonscape, our rivers are drying up or are polluted with toxic heavy metals from AMD ( Acid Mine Drainage) Congressman Boucher should be ashamed, but his pockets are full and his buddies can continue blowing Appalachia to smithereens. Not sure we can stand anymore of what Boucher calls progress and prosperity thanks to the new and improved, clean, green, hybrid coal industry. End Mountaintop Removal ! www.wisecountyissues.com/?p=138

[RTIII]

You're a few weeks late: the chance to kill this was BEFORE the go-ahead to resume was given by the Obama administration about a week ago...
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[BlackbirdHighway]

With the solar panels on my roof I have no worries. The cost of sunshine will not be affected one bit by this legislation.

Sunshine and wind will continue to be provided for free. Get with the program. Do not panic.

[plantguy]

They wil find a way to tax that free power soon.

[SoleProp]

Well, let's see how this works out. I'm not sure people understand what is coming, how soon it's coming and how little increased energy bills will matter when they find out. I'm more than willing to take a chance on higher energy bills if it forestalls what I see are mass migrations and starvation around the world. If they're wrong, well then the comments so far are right, they'll be voted out of office.

[lifeagain]

Boy.....when the population of the US see their electricy bill double. There will be such a scream that the Dems will be out of office before they know it. With Obama's budget attacking the energy businesses and this in conjunction, the dems are creating the perfect storm. If your smart, you better pay your bills down and seriously think about an energy efficient car and solar. Your going to need it.

[shockmagog]

Well, we now see what going backwards has done for the Republicans. If what you fear is born out, then the Republicans will have no choice but to continue Obama's policies. Otherwise, we will all end up in the same place we are now--except our situation will be even difficult and painful to correct.

If you can imagine that.

[Servility]

Resulting in... Higher prices goods and services. Lost jobs to China, India, Russia because they will continue to pollute.

[RepundantPundit]

I have a useful provisions that have been left out.

-Force inefficient means of power production on power industry before they have been optimized.
-Slit the throat of the private power industry and let it bleed inflated enery costs all over the nation.
-Swoop in to 'save the people' from the 'evil and greedy' power companies that were crippled by the government in the first place.
-Nationalize the power grid and charge even higher rates as another means of unjustified taxation.
-Laugh at the ignorance of the American people that voted you into office.
-Raise prices agian, and realize you have to dig another mine to burn more coal.
-Buy excavators with tax payer money and pay the illegal aliens you gave visas $4.00 an hour to get lung cancer.
-Laugh as you drive in your gas guzzling motorcade to fly to Hawaii in your 747 top play in the sand
These should all make the dockett and pass under the President's pen around 2011.