The bad climate news of the day comes from Byron Dorgan (D-ND) and Harry Reid (D-NV): they want to delay climate change legislation until 2010.
The good news comes from a most unlikely source: James Inhofe (R-OK). Yes, you read that right, but you'll have to read below for the details.
As background, the American Clean Energy & Security Act (ACES) has both a renewable energy component and a climate change component, specifically the creation of a cap and trade market requiring (in theory) polluters to pay for their messes. The bill passed the House, where it's also known as Waxman-Markey, in June. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) plans to introduce a Senate ACES bill later on this month in the Environment & Public Works committee.
In June, the Energy & Natural Resources committee passed the American Clean Energy Leadership Act (ACELA): link to pdfs here. ACELA is perceived by environmentalists as being weak, toothless, and ineffectual. ACELA does not have a cap & trade provision at all, and its renewable electricity standard is lower than that of the Waxman-Markey bill. Byron "Coal is our most abundant resource!" Dorgan is second in seniority at E&NR. It seems that he likes his weak, toothless, and ineffectual bill better than ACES -- imagine that! Today he gave a speech:
Money quote:
I hope very much when people think about energy and climate change, that a consideration will exist of bringing a good energy bill to the floor that is a significant step in the right direction for climate change. And then at some point later bringing a climate change bill to the floor, because I think they are related but separate.
Got that? Using Dorgan's logic and example, if you need to brush your teeth in the morning, then you need to have a glass of water at hand before you can consider toothpaste and toothbrush, because the glass of water is a significant step in the right direction, and then at some point later you could actually brush your teeth with toothpaste and a toothbrush, because they are related but separate!
And I do mean money quote, because Dorgan is the second biggest recipient of coal mining money in the Senate. Can Dorgan possibly think that coal mining money is more important than the impact of climate change on the voters of North Dakota? Does anyone remember the Red River?
From the US Global Change Research Program report (6/09): "The northern Great Plains will have increased precipitation, mostly in the form of winter snowfall, which will increase the flood risk. Projected increases in temperature, evaporation, and drought frequency add to concerns about the region’s declining water resources. Agriculture, ranching, and natural lands, already under pressure due to an increasingly limited water supply, are very likely to also be stressed by rising temperatures."
To emphasize that the Senate will work on climate change at its own sweet pace, Reid told reporters today that "the Senate must first finish work on health care and regulatory reform." It's not the first time he's downplayed ACES' chances of passing the Senate -- he's been saying the same thing since January, and it probably won't be the last time that progressives accuse Reid of lacking a spine.
Meanwhile, the global Copenhagen conference will not wait for the Senate to finish health care and regulatory reform. Neither will President Obama; he'll be giving his first speech on climate change on September 22 to the United Nations.
The good news comes from a most unlikely source, and as an environmentalist I never thought I'd use the phrases "James Inhofe" and "good news" within three paragraphs of each other. He warns Republicans that
Now that the debate on cap-and-trade has stalled indefinitely in the Senate, inquiring minds are wondering: what’s next? While there’s no question the Democrats have declared a cease fire on cap-and-trade -- many of them want nothing to do with the issue -- their allies outside the Beltway are preparing a massive $20 million campaign to push legislation forward.
This effort should serve as a wake-up call to anyone who believes cap-and-trade is dead and buried -- it is very much alive. So Republicans remain ever vigilant, preparing to defeat any cap-and-trade energy tax that will drive up unemployment, slow our economic recovery, and make America less competitive in the global marketplace.
(My emphasis.) Shorter: while Senate Democrats snooze, grassroots allies are working overtime to strengthen and pass ACES. Grassroots allies have kept hope alive. Who are those grassroots allies?
Groups like 350, dedicated to the principle of lowering atmospheric carbon emissions to 350 parts per million.
And Operation Free, a group of veterans concerned about the impact of carbon emissions on America's national, and natural, security.
And Clean Energy Works, a coalition of more than 60 diverse groups of faith, labor, environment, sportfishers and hunters, businesses, youth, community, and other groups.
And us. We are the grassroots. We are the change that we have sought. We have to yell louder! at the Senate. Byron Dorgan's office can be reached at 202-224-2551. Call him tomorrow and tell him that we want ACES -- and a better version of ACES than the one that passed the House -- not his toothless alternative.