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US Senator Hagel Readies Bill Promoting Greenhouse Gas Cuts

Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., is preparing legislation to encourage the use of greenhouse gas reduction technology in the United States and overseas, particularly in developing countries that are large emitters of the gases. The proposal will stop short of requiring companies to reduce their emissions of carbon dioxide or other gases that scientists believe are causing the earth to warm, according to people familiar with Hagel’s effort. Instead it will offer financial incentives, probably in the form of tax credits or better equipment depreciation schedules, for companies that take steps to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. The bill may also include other provisions – such as more money for research and development into greenhouse gas reduction technologies – to help large emitters in the developing world reduce their production of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. “I would call it a deployment initiative,” said one lobbyist familiar with Hagel’s effort. “It’s meant to promote the use of energy and carbon dioxide efficient technologies, both domestically and internationally. ” One of the legislation’s main goals will be to address a criticism of the Kyoto Protocol, the recently ratified international agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions: That it doesn’t require any action […]

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Senators Worry MTBE May Trip Up Energy Bill

Economic problems brought about by high natural gas prices have Senate energy lawmakers optimistic about passing an energy bill this year. But this early-session optimism has been tempered by worry that a House-Senate deal on energy will break down because of continued differences over product liability protection for fuel oxygenate producers. Several senators close to the process yesterday said it is clear the MTBE provisions that stalled energy legislation in the last Congress could do the same this year, and they want the issue put to rest quickly, or abandoned altogether, before they get too far into the legislative process. “DeLay will have to back off,” Sen. Craig Thomas (R-Wyo.) said bluntly yesterday, referring to House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas), a prime backer of the energy bill’s MTBE protection clause who last year refused to remove the language from the bill. Liability protection for producers of methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) was the primary reason why the energy bill, then known as H.R. 6, stalled in the Senate in November 2003 and kept Congress from passing any comprehensive energy legislation last year. The House added the provision to H.R. 6, after which a number of senators objected and blocked […]

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Hybrids? Some Opt to Go All-Electric

Not long after Dan Kroushl got his new 2004 Toyota Prius, he began to wonder about the mysterious button on the dash. It didn’t seem to have any function. Didn’t boost the turbo or engage an ejector seat. In online discussions with other Prius enthusiasts, Mr. Kroushl soon discovered the button did have a hidden function: It could turn the gasoline-electric hybrid into an all-electric car – for a mile or so on limited battery power. This “stealth mode” button works fine in Japan and Europe where it’s handy for drivers to roll politely about densely packed subdivisions in the early morning and late evening. But the button has been disconnected for North America’s Priuses. Now, scores of Prius owners in the United States are activating the button on their own – despite company warnings that altering the car will void its warranty. Some drivers, including Kroushl, are going even further: adding battery capacity – and a plug. The hoped for result: a high-tech commuting car that plugs into a socket at night and gets amazing gas mileage the next day. In effect, these backyard mechanics have turned the hybrid car’s appeal on its head. Instead of emphasizing gasoline over […]

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