Electric Utility Cap and Trade Act

Background
Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Tom Carper (D-Del.) introduced the OpenCongress: Electric Utility Cap and Trade Act of 2007 (S.317) on January 17, 2007 to "to amend the Clean Air Act to establish a program to regulate the emission of greenhouse gases from electric utilities." It was referred to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.

Bill Summary
The legislation would set an emissions "cap and trade" system for electric utilities only. The cap would begin in 2011 and require a decrease in greenhouse gas emissions from electric utilities of 8 percent by 2020 and 41 percent by 2050. The bill would also establish a Climate Science Advisory Board to inform the administration and Congress of the state of climate science, and make recommendations to achieve climate stabilization; provide R&D funding for low- and zero-emitting carbon technologies, clean coal technologies, and energy efficient technologies relevant to the utilities industry; and require periodic evaluations by the Environmental Protection Agency to determine whether emissions targets are adequate.

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Related SourceWatch articles

 * Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works
 * climate change
 * global warming
 * Kyoto Protocol