S. 309 would amend the Clean Air Act to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide.
Detailed Summary
Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act - Amends the Clean Air Act to set forth provisions concerning global warming pollution emissions. Directs the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to: (1) set milestones to reduce the aggregate net levels of emissions (authorizes EPA to establish market-based programs to achieve such reduction); (2) require each fleet of automobiles sold by a manufacturer beginning in model year 2016 to meet emission standards; (3) contract with the National Academy of Sciences to study the potential contribution of the non-highway portion of the transportation sector towards meeting the emission reduction goal; (4) require that electric generation units meet an emission standard that is not higher than the emission rate of a new combined cycle natural gas generating unit; and (5) establish a low-carbon generation trading program.
Requires covered generators to provide a minimum percentage of the base quantity of electricity produced for sale from low-carbon generation.
Requires EPA to: (1) establish a competitive grant program for geological disposal deployment projects; and (2) carry out a global climate change standards and processes research program. Expresses the sense of the Senate that federal funds for clean, low-carbon energy research, development, and deployment should be increased by at least 100% each year for 10 years.
Directs: (1) EPA to promulgate requirements concerning the energy efficiency and peak load reduction of electricity suppliers and to establish a renewable energy credit program; (2) the Secretary of Agriculture to establish standards for accrediting certified reductions in carbon dioxide emissions through biological sequestration activities; and (3) major stationary sources to report to EPA on emissions of global warming pollutants.
Requires the President to establish the Task Force on International Clean, Low Carbon Energy Cooperation. Authorizes the President to adjust, suspend, or waive any regulation promulgated pursuant to this Act in a national emergency.
Requires EPA to require that gasoline contain the applicable volume of low-carbon renewable fuel.
Directs EPA to require manufacturers to meet standards for new motor vehicles or engines. Requires executive agency automobiles to be as fuel-efficient as practicable.
Requires: (1) the Secretary of Commerce to report on the effects of U.S. failure to adopt measures that require or result in a reduction in total emissions in accordance with the goals of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change; (2) the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to require securities issuers to inform investors of risks relating to global warming; and (3) the SEC to clarify that U.S. commitments to reduce emissions under the Framework are considered to be a material effect and that global warming constitutes a known trend.
Directs federal agency environmental impact statements or analyses to evaluate the effects on, and impact of, global warming.
Status of the Legislation
Latest Major Action: 1/16/2007: Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Points in Favor
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Points Against
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Visitor Comments
IVANWAITE
have sent e-mail message to Missouri Senators and 5th District Repr requesting support of SB309, Boxer, Jeffords, et. al.
Rudy Stefenel
I support S.309 to keep global warming in check even though this bill does not go far enough. There has not been been a better bill that I know of so far. It is best to pass this bill and have it replaced later than to wait for a better bill.
Rudy Stefenel
120 Dixon Landing Road #117
Milpitas, CA 95035
408-263-5332
rudystefenel@yahoo.com
Sharper
Where is the list of costs associated with this bill? This bill appears to accomplish nothing substantial, while at the same time costing Americans Billions in new regulation compliance and decreased economic efficiency.
Kill the Economy
Which is exactly what this will do as all the factories will be shipped to China or India where they do not have to do jack under Kyoto.
Scott from Modesto
Again and again, the anti-enviros whine, but their nonsense doesn't change the facts. Pollution controls lead to improved efficiency and help the economy, but without government regulation that levels the playing field, individual companies can't afford to take the first step.
DM
What I always find amazing is how short-sighted people are. Yes, cleaning things up is expensive.
If we had done it right from the beginning this wouldn't even be an issue.
My other gripe is that people are worried the "now" of the economy. If the world begins to die out, who cares about the next iPod?
Tim
@scott: when has a control forced upon the marketplace by a government ever increased efficiency and helped the economy? Controls on emissions costs money and it's money that I don't want to pay when scientists still can't tell me with absolute certainty that humans are causing global warming and they definitely can't tell me the extent to which the globe will be effected. 10 years ago they projected major cities being inundated in 30-40 years and now and now that projection is at the century mark. Very few of these projections take into account the fact that technology is still advancing at an exponential rate and what can be done about global warming today might be nothing when compared to what can be done in 50 years.
This legislation is crap. Focus on immigration reform and healthcare instead of spending time looking good for Al Gore.
Norrin
This bill needs to do even more. And for anyone who tries to through economics at this, a new government agency would be made to patrol this, and new jobs could be created to clean up carbon as well as other emissions through equipment maintenance. This would IMPROVE the economy.
And 2nd, if our kids are all dead who cares how the economy is now.
This should be passed and it will be passed now, or in 2008, pick when.
matthew
How many dead kids? Certainly not "all" of them. Care to guess how many? Care to quantify the costs?
BZ
This bill is supposed "to reduce by calendar year 2050 the aggregate net level of global warming pollution emissions of the United States to a level that is 80 percent below the aggregate net level of global warming pollution emissions for calendar year 1990"
That's what the bill says, and I think we should include this in the Detailed Summary. Isn't the main point of this bill to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80% by 2050?
Agree with Rudy
I agree with Rudy and support S.309 to keep global warming in check even though this bill does not go far enough. There has not been a better bill thus far. It's best to pass this bill now and replace it later than to wait for perfection. As for the economics of this? It will create job growth in the right areas and force manufacturers in the US to 'get it right'. Our fuel efficiency on vehicles for example is pathetic when compared to supposedly inferior nations.