GLOBAL WARMING BILL BACKED UTILITIES ENDORSE FEINSTEIN'S CAP-AND-TRADE PROPOSAL.Byline: LISA The first personal computer to include integrated software and use a graphical interface. Modeled after the Xerox Star and introduced in 1983 by Apple, it was ahead of its time, but never caught on due to its $10,000 price and slow speed. FRIEDMAN Washington Bureau WASHINGTON -- California Sen. Dianne Feinstein Dianne Goldman Berman Feinstein (born June 22, 1933) is the senior U.S. Senator from California, having held office as a senator since 1992. She is a member of the Democratic Party. positioned herself as a key centrist on global warming global warming, the gradual increase of the temperature of the earth's lower atmosphere as a result of the increase in greenhouse gases since the Industrial Revolution. Wednesday, proposing the first national cap-and-trade program to win broad backing from the electric utility industry. Flanked by top executives from companies including Pacific Gas & Electric and Calpine, Feinstein and co-author Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., described the plan as having the best shot of becoming law among the many greenhouse gas greenhouse gas n. Any of the atmospheric gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect. greenhouse gas bills sprouting on Capitol Hill. ``This is the most aggressive global warming bill that this industry has supported to date,'' said Feinstein, a Democrat. Pointing to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's bid to create a cap-and-trade system, she said, ``I believe this equals what California is trying to do.'' The bill would reduce power plant emissions 25 percent below anticipated levels by 2020. Emissions would be capped at 2006 levels in 2011, and over the next decade would be reduced to 2001 levels. Emissions would be decreased 1 percent each year after that until 2020. At the same time, the Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), independent agency of the U.S. government, with headquarters in Washington, D.C. It was established in 1970 to reduce and control air and water pollution, noise pollution, and radiation and to ensure the safe handling and would publicly auction credits. Most of that revenue would go toward helping companies purchase clean technology. Feinstein projected that the auction would raise at least $9 billion by 2036, and possibly as much as $55 billion. ``(Global warming is) happening. But if we act now, with purpose, the most serious consequences can be averted,'' Feinstein said. PG&E Corp. chief executive officer Peter Darby called Feinstein's bill ``pragmatic and aggressive, a serious response to a serious problem.'' In total, the companies -- which also included Entergy, Florida Power and Light, Exelon and the Public Service Enterprise Group -- operate in 42 states and supply more than 15 percent of electricity consumed in the U.S. The bill does not address coal-fired plants. Lawmakers on Wednesday suggested attacking coal will likely meet with fierce political resistance. ``There's coal in 40 states. That makes the garnering of votes here in the Senate very difficult,'' Feinstein acknowledged. While she reached out to a number of companies for feedback while crafting the bill, Feinstein said Southern California Edison Southern California Edison (or SCE Corp), the largest subsidiary of Edison International (NYSE: EIX), is the primary electricity supply company for much of Southern California. It provides 11 million people with electricity. notably declined to work with her office. ``I assume it's because they have coal. I was very disappointed,'' she said. A spokeswoman for Southern California Edison declined to discuss Feinstein's bill specifically and said the company is evaluating several global warming-related bills. Meanwhile, the bill produced a lukewarm luke·warm adj. 1. Mildly warm; tepid. 2. Lacking conviction or enthusiasm; indifferent: gave only lukewarm support to the incumbent candidate. response from environmentalists. ``We are looking forward to working with her further in hopes of bringing the proposal closer to what we see as the necessary steps,'' said Natural Resources Defense Council The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is a New York City-based, non-profit non-partisan international environmental advocacy group, with offices in Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Beijing. Founded in 1970, NRDC today has 1. spokeswoman Julia Bovey. ``We don't want the best bill that can pass. We want the best bill,'' Bovey said, noting a sweeping measure by Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernard "Bernie" Sanders (born September 8, 1941) is the current junior United States Senator from Vermont. Sanders was elected on November 7, 2006, and is presently a member of the 110th United States Congress. , I-Vt., and California Sen. Barbara Boxer Barbara Levy Boxer (born November 11, 1940) is an American politician and the current junior U.S. Senator from the State of California. A member of the Democratic Party, Boxer was first elected to the U.S. , a Democrat, is considered the gold standard in global warming law. Feinstein's bill is expected to be one of many released in the coming weeks to address global warming. Boxer, who chairs the Senate Environment Committee, will consider all the greenhouse gas-related proposals, her spokeswoman said. lisa.friedman(at)langnews.com (202) 662-8731 CAPTION(S): photo Photo: (color) - Sen. Dianne Feinstein |
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