Preliminary Fireworks Over

Witnesses take their seats before Senate EPW

Before getting to the scheduled speakers this morning, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee members aired their views on the Kerry-Boxer climate bill. In short, the Republicans at best complained that the committee was moving too fast, and at worst decried the bill as an "energy tax bill" that would "kill jobs." The Democrats, at their most moderate, praised their bill, and at their most liberal, decried the fact that it does not move fast enough. (More details will be posted in this space.)

Meanwhile, Secretary Chu has begun his presentation, here. His opening speech scolded that “[w]hen the gun sounded on the clean energy race, the United States stumbled” and that we need to incentivize investments in this sector to keep up with the rest of the world. But, he warned, “[o]n again and off again incentives will not drive the investment in carbon neutral energy we need.” Instead, he explained, cap and trade will provide the steady incentives we need. [Update: The text of Secretary Chu's testimony can be seen here.]

Secretary LaHood of the Department of Transportation is now speaking about investing in "livable, sustainable communities," the key to which will be transportation that will allow people in all communities, urban, suburban, and rural, to get around without having to get into a car. He would like to see much more robust transportation planning techniques, to make sure that investments in transportation "generate the best outcomes" in creating these communities.

Secretary Salazar of the Department of Interior opens that "this issue is an imperative issue of our time." "First, we need to get our country to a point of energy independence," second, we need to create new jobs, and third, we need to protect our planet for our children and our children's children. He describes the Department of Interior as the "steward" of America's natural and cultural resources. He notes that "the new energy frontier" is exciting to all in the Department of Interior, and that they have been moving quickly forward to enable it to be exploited, including fast-tracking permits for solar energy on public lands. He is also touting the capabilities of the Department to promote hydropower, wind power, and creating carbon sinks within the U.S. by preserving public lands. [The text of Secretary Salazar's remarks can be found here.]

Next up is Administrator Lisa Jackson of the EPA. She touts EPA accomplishments since she last appeared before the committee in July, including the new fuel economy regulations announced in the early fall which will avoid huge amounts of GHG emisssions. She hints about the capabilities of the CAA, saying that "even as the [agency] moves forward under existing legislation" it looks forward to new action from the Senate. "I applaud the many Senators .... who have contributed meaningfully to the Chairman's Mark," and commends those who have acted in a bipartisan fashion. Turning to the EPA analysis of the Senate climate bill released last Friday, she explains that they believe that it would bring about a transformation in the energy economy at a price less than 50 cents a day, and that it would avoid a global temperature increase of two degrees celsius, which would expose the American people to unacceptable risks. "Americans have waited decades ... while we have failed to safeguard" our children and grandchildren. She concludes that "[t]he [Senate Bill] is a significant milestone" on the road to our clean energy future. [The text of Administrator Jackson's statement can be accessed here.]

Finally, the Chairman of the FERC, Jon Wellinghoff speaks. He notes that the reason we are not taking the negative effects of GHGs into account in our energy production is because they are externalized, and touts the Senate bill as a method of taking care of that. He says the FERC is addressing barriers to increasing the amount of renewable energy in our energy portfolio, but notes that added federal power to site transmission lines and other infrastructure (an issue mentioned on this blog yesterday) is essential to this. He also talks about the importance of demand response, including energy efficiency. And says that the bill before the committee is "the key to making this right." [The text of Chairman Wellinghoff's remarks can be found here.]