February 1, 2010

President Barack Obama will have a new clean energy bill to sign by the end of the year, according to US congressman Edward Markey. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on January 29, Markey said Obama had committed to passing climate legislation and that the US Senate and House of Representatives would produce a bill to be signed into law by the end of 2010.

“The reason I believe that will happen is that it is in our national security and long-term economic interests,” said Markey, who is the Democratic house representative for Massachusetts and chairman of the Energy and Environment Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. He also introduced the American Clean Energy and Security Act with representative Henry Waxman, which was passed by the House in June 2009.

Markey added that a large part of the US deficit results from importing oil from countries to which the US should not be sending its capital.

He acknowledged that a Republican coalition is working with the White House to produce a final bill, but he also noted the President’s executive authority to regulate greenhouse gases without legislation. However, Markey argued legislation would allow the impact of regulation on consumers and industry to be controlled.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has regulatory authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions such as carbon dioxide under the Clean Air Act. It announced plans to begin curbing emissions from the nation’s largest stationary sources from March 2010.

Under the Congressional Review Act, if the resolution is upheld by the Senate, House and President, the EPA can no longer enforce regulation in this area and cannot introduce a similar rule at a later date. The resolution has been referred to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.

Pauline McCallion

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