Heat will grow on energy bill

Houston Chronicle ^ | Jan. 1, 2010, 9:43PM | JENNIFER A. DLOUHY

[thackney]

It took Democratic leaders weeks of negotiations, deal-cutting and floor debate before they could squeak a broad health care overhaul bill through the Senate last month.

But that was nothing compared to the challenge facing Senate leaders this spring if they press forward with disputed energy and climate change legislation.

The plan to cap greenhouse gases blamed for the Earth's rising temperature is complicated by election-year politics and fears about exacerbating U.S. economic woes.

It also is hindered by moderate Democrats' wariness about the centerpiece of the leading proposals: so-called cap-and-trade programs that would allow refiners, manufacturers and other carbon dioxide emitters to comply with steadily tightening greenhouse gas limits by cutting their emissions or buying and trading allowances to release the substances.

...

Sens. John Kerry, D-Mass., Joe Lieberman, I-Ct., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., are working on a compromise measure designed to attract the crucial 60 votes...

...

Among other challenges:

• • Soothing the concerns of Sens. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., Bob Corker, R-Tenn., Byron Dorgan, R-N.D., and others about the risk that traders will manipulate any new carbon permit market.

• • Winning over coal-state senators who are concerned that greenhouse gas limits will encourage companies to forgo the fossil fuel in favor of cleaner-burning options.

• • Calming farm-state senators whose constituents are concerned about the prospect of higher fuel and feed costs.

• • Assuaging Rust Belt senators who are worried that any U.S. caps on carbon dioxide — without similar constraints in other countries — would put the steel industry, paper makers and other manufacturers at a competitive disadvantage in the globat marketplace.

[thackney]

Related, but concerning the EPA action in leu of existing legislation:

First up to challenge EPA on CO2: Big Beef
http://blogs.chron.com/newswatchenergy/archives/2010/01/first_up_to_cha_1.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+houstonchronicle%2Fnewswatchenergy+%28NewsWatch%3A+Energy%29

Legal challenges were widely expected the moment the EPA said late last year that it found CO2 and other greenhouse gases to be dangererous substances that needed regulating. The source of the first formal challenge came as a bit of a suprise, however: The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.

The group filed a challenge just before Christmas, saying the finding “is not based on a rigorous scientific analysis” that is being done “despite so much uncertainty surrounding humans’ contribution to climate change is perplexing.”

“Instead of letting the issue of climate change, and man’s alleged contribution to it, be addressed through the proper democratic legislative process, EPA has decided to trump Congress and mandate greenhouse gas regulation under the Clean Air Act,” said Tamara Thies. “The Act is ill-equipped to address climate change, and Congress never intended for it to be used for that purpose.”

Why is Big Beef so concerned? According to Edmunds:

The cattlemen care because methane gas — which cattle and cattle waste produce a whole lot of — is one of the nastiest of the greenhouse gases in terms of its ability to trap heat in the atmosphere and thus is one of the gases most likely to be subject to tight regulation.

[midwyf]

I don’t imagine the record busting cold is helping much either. This president and this congress seem absolutely determined to destroy the country as we know it.

[bray]

Stop Global Fleecing!
The EPA snowjob: http://www.brayincandy.com/id197.html

Pray for America and the Tea Patriots

[KosmicKitty]

Wish we had a bit of warming cow methane in my neck of the woods. Not even suppose to hit 20 here today.

[Lazamataz]

The plan to cap greenhouse gases blamed for the Earth's rising temperature is complicated by election-year politics, fears about exacerbating U.S. economic woes........

.....and recordbreaking worldwide cold spells.

[Lazamataz]

"This president and this congress seem absolutely determined to destroy the country as we know it." the world.

[Thermalseeker]

.....and recordbreaking worldwide cold spells.

No kidding! It was 5F here in SE Tennessee this morning just before the sun came up. I was listening to Meteorologist Joe Bastardi on Accuweather, one of the best in the 'bidness IMO, and he said Beijing is going to set an all time record low tomorrow night as cold sweeps over the entire northern hemisphere. Later this week from Oklahoma to the Tennessee River valley to the northeast USA a massive winter storm is going to hit and dump a bunch of snow, then bring in record cold temps behind it. In Bastardi's own words "We're all going to be sick of hearing about Global Warming by the time this winter is through"......

[wita]

This: The plan to cap greenhouse gases blamed for the Earth’s rising temperature is complicated by election-year politics and fears about exacerbating U.S. economic woes.

plus,

This: Among other challenges:

• • Soothing the concerns of Sens. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., Bob Corker, R-Tenn., Byron Dorgan, R-N.D., and others about the risk that traders will manipulate any new carbon permit market.

• • Winning over coal-state senators who are concerned that greenhouse gas limits will encourage companies to forgo the fossil fuel in favor of cleaner-burning options.

• • Calming farm-state senators whose constituents are concerned about the prospect of higher fuel and feed costs.

• • Assuaging Rust Belt senators who are worried that any U.S. caps on carbon dioxide — without similar constraints in other countries — would put the steel industry, paper makers and other manufacturers at a competitive disadvantage in the globat marketplace.

This: In early December, the EPA formally declared that greenhouse gases pose a threat to the public health and welfare, an assertion that paves the way for future regulations that would require power plants, petrochemical companies and other industrial facilities use the “best available” technology to control their emissions, whenever they are built or renovated.

...and a ton more,

Should cause coal miners, coal states, railroads, power plants, corporations, state governments, big oil, energy companies, and THE PEOPLE, to rise up in anger sufficient to strike the fear of GOD and Man, in every bureaucrat and government official responsible for the present stupidity called US energy policy.

[jpsb]

Damn cold here in south east Texas too, has been for many weeks now. I’ve used more fire wood this fall then I’ve used in winters past and winter is just starting!

[SnuffaBolshevik]

Same here.
I thought I had a respectable stack but it’s 2/3 gone already. I’m eying the rocking chair now.

[NaughtiusMaximus]

Coldest winter in Flagstaff AZ ever and it’s only just begun. Wife and I are declaring defeat and moving down to PHX for a few weeks.

[ReformedBeckite]

My dad always said you get two heats out of wood, one when you cut it and one when you burn it. Looks like you might have to do some more heating up cutting some more wood.

[REPANDPROUDOFIT]

But that was nothing compared to the challenge facing Senate leaders this spring ....

Of course, Congress will wait till late Spring or Summer when it is hot as hades outside and everyone will go "Oh Yeah! It's hot outside, so, it must be global warming!".

[Blacksheep]

I guess the record low world wide temps didn’t garner a mention?

[Nick Danger]

Congress will wait till late Spring or Summer when it is hot as hades outside and everyone will go "Oh Yeah! It's hot outside, so, it must be global warming!".

People are smarter than you give them credit for. If you look at the polls, a good solid majority now understands that man-made global warming is a hoax.

The danger doesn't come from an ignorant mob clamoring for cap-and-trade restrictions. It comes from a political class that no longer listens to the citizenry, and an activist government bureaucracy that is eager to make rules for the rest of us to follow, so as to implement the leftish, statist dreams of the sort of people who go to work in such places.

[The Antiyuppie]

Rove’s Weather Machine, still operational, has very effectively sabotaged Copenhagen and any chance for the Energy Tax Bill. After this winter, I think tar, feathers, and pitchforks will be in order if someone brings this piece of #$%$% up again.

I, for one, would like to see a “Where's Al” website based on Google, to find out where Algore is today. He was in NY recently but I'll bet he got the heck out of there because of all of the cold and snow.