The 110th Congress has seen an influx of different bills seeking to regulate greenhouse gas emissions and/or other air pollutants. AMC is tracking the progress of the most environmentally significant bills, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. Check back to this page to see the progress of these bills between now and the end of 2008.
Bill Basics
The Safe Climate Act of 2007
This Senate bill and its House companion bill (HR 1590), is the most comprehensive climate bill presently in play. It has the greatest reductions of carbon dioxide (CO2) of all the Congressional bills, includes emission limits for new power plants and cars, has the highest requirement for electricity generation from renewable energy sources, and adopts national energy efficiency standards. Specifically it:
- Reduces nitrogen oxide (NOx), methane, sulfur hexafluoride, and CO2, also known as greenhouse gases, emissions to 1990 levels by 2020 with further reductions by 2050
- Requires reductions from major emitting sectors; power plants, autos, other industries
- Includes emission limits on carbon dioxide for new power plants and autos
- Requires 20% of electricity generation be through renewable energy sources by 2020 and
- Adopts national energy efficiency standards.
The Climate Stewardship Act of 2005
While not as stringent on CO2 emissions as the Safe Climate Act, this bill (HR 620) tackles the emissions of other unhealthy chemicals released in the burning of fossil fuels: mercury, nitrogen oxide (NOx), and sulfur dioxide (S2O). The bill would require that mercury be reduced by 90%, NOx by almost 68%, and S2O by at least 82% by the year 2015. In addition it:
- Reduces greenhouse gas emissions to 2000 levels by 2010
- Requires reductions from major emitting sectors; power plants, autos, other industries using a market-based approach, and
- Allows up to 15% of allowed emissions to be offset by alternative projects or carbon allowance sources
