Energy Legislation Stalls in Congress

Americans hoping for an energy bill that places the nation firmly on the path toward energy efficiency may be disappointed — this year, at least.

The New York Times reports that the prospect of Congress signing off this year on a comprehensive energy package that both promotes energy efficiency and weans the nation off fossil fuels appears increasingly unlikely.

That’s not to say both houses haven’t tried. This summer, both the U.S. House and Senate passed bills promoting energy efficiency and strategies to move the nation away from fossil fuels.

The problem is that Congress may not be able to name a conference committee to resolve these differences before the end of the year. Some Democratic legislators have expressed a desire to resolve these differences without a conference committee, though such a strategy is likely to come up against stiff resistance from some Republicans.

Earlier this year, the Democratic leadership stated that a comprehensive bill would be a major priority this year, though these efforts have been stymied by other problems, including the war in Iraq, appropriations and the jittery world market situation.

One expert is not surprised by the delay.

“It’s really political posturing as usual,” says Dr. Jim Novak, an Alabama Cooperative Extension System economist and Auburn University professor of agricultural economics, adding that there is one other complicating factor.

“Aside from all the usual politics that go into the drafting of a bill, there’s the added problem of a looming election year.

“Everybody is posturing.”

For his part, Novak hopes Congress eventually will agree on a bill that places especially heavy emphasis on energy independence.

“We need to find alternatives to the current situation, especially taking another look at enhancing mass transportation opportunities.”

Novak says there is a growing interest among cities throughout the country in federal policies that provide incentives for more mass transportation, especially approaches that make stronger use of biofuels.

Another priority Novak would like to see reflected in an energy bill is biofuel expansion, placing heavy stress on expanding the cellulosic ethanol potential.

The Senate’s version of the energy bill, passed June 21, calls for increasing automobile fuel-efficiency standards to a fleet average of 35 miles per gallon by 2020, compared to 27.5 m.p.g today.

The standards for light trucks is 20.7 m.p.g

Another section would require utilities to generate 15 percent of their electricity from renewable sources by 2020.

However, the mileage standard appears only in the Senate version. A mandate for renewable power included in the House bill was not included in the Senate version.

President Bush has threatened to veto the House Bill, which he says does not include enough incentives for domestic energy production, and the Senate bill, because it contains penalties for price gouging by the oil industry.

Ironically, while the congressional effort has stalled, a motley array of energy bills are under consideration in the vast majority of state legislatures around the country, many of which include policies for energy efficiency, emission of heat-trapping gasses or climate change.

Twenty states also have adopted renewable energy requirements for utilities.

Posted by Jim Langcuster at September 13, 2007 03:59 PM