Democrats are deeply divided on climate change legislation, and Republicans boycotted the hearings this week, which leaves little hope for passage of legislation this year.
The Senate Environment Committee held three days of hearings on the climate bill last week – it goes to committee debate today.
Democrats from the Midwest, South and Rocky Mountain West are concerned about the impact of the legislation on industry and consumers
Democratic leaders, along with the Obama administration, are attempting to persuade at least six Republicans to vote in favor by compromising on nuclear plants. So far, not one Republican seems interested.
Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman Barbara Boxer (D-CA) says she will begin the mark up on climate legislation regardless of the fact that all 7 Republicans on the Committee plan to boycott the proceedings.
Republicans say Boxer can’t do a markup without at least two Republicans present. Boxer countered that a provision would allow her to proceed as long as a majority of committee members are present. Democrats outnumber Republicans 12 to 7.
"We urge Ranking Member Inhofe, with the utmost respect, to bring the committee Republicans back to work on this issue. We will give them the opportunity, as we proceed this week, to reconsider their decision," she added. "We look forward to working with them if they decide to participate, but if they do not, we will move forward in accordance with the rules of the Senate and of this committee."
On Monday afternoon, all six ranking Republicans on committees with jurisdiction over climate change legislation sent a letter to Boxer (PDF) asking her to delay consideration of the bill until a full economic analysis is performed. Two of the GOP senators Democrats have been eyeing as possible backers of a cap-and-trade bill — Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Richard Lugar (Ind.) both signed the missive, which states, these sort of "analyses are worth the time and resources not only to get them done, but to get them done right."
"The EPW Republicans would like a markup of the Kerry-Boxer bill, but are disappointed that the majority seems intent on moving forward with a markup before receiving a full analysis from the EPA," he said. "Given the sheer size and significant economic impacts of the bill on the American people, we feel it is our duty to insist on having the analysis before members are to vote on the bill."
Boxer said, "This bill has had comprehensive legislative hearings, with 54 expert witnesses in nine panels. Committee rules provide that the Chairman’s Mark be circulated three days before a business meeting, and we released it, along with the EPA’s economic analysis, ten days before the markup." "No climate bill has ever had this level of review and the Obama administration stands behind the EPA’s analysis."
In related news, U.S. climate legislation would hike gasoline prices about 13 cents a gallon as oil companies push the price of carbon permits on to consumers, according to Point Carbon, an independent consulting company that tracks global carbon and energy markets.
Their analysts don’t share the oil industry’s view that a U.S. cap-and-trade system would decimate gasoline demand and force large numbers of refineries to shut down.
And Russia announced it will support a global climate deal only if all major industrialized nations sign up and if the capacity of Russia’s giant forests are taken into account, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Monday.
Putin said the capacity of Russia’s forests to balance carbon dioxide emissions would have to be taken into account for any global deal to replace the Kyoto protocol.
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