News

Coleman floats global warming proposal

 

FREDERIC J. FROMMER, Associated Press

February 1, 2007

WASHINGTON - Sen. Norm Coleman is circulating a proposal aimed at cutting down on greenhouse gas emissions, removing a provision from an earlier draft that would have pre-empted states from regulating carbon dioxide emissions.

On Wednesday, Coleman's office shared a copy of the newest draft, which would require utilities to generate more of their power through renewable energy sources, along with an analysis by the U.S. Energy Information Administration, an independent statistical and analytic agency within the Department of Energy.

That analysis estimates that Coleman's proposal would lead to a reduction of 14.7 percent in projected increases of carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 - although still 23.1 percent higher than 2004 levels.
In a statement, Coleman, R-Minn., said the numbers weren't good enough and he will seek changes to get better results.

"We need proposals that will not only slow the growth of greenhouse gas emissions, but ultimately reverse them," he said. "I will take these findings to environmental and energy stakeholders - enlisting their help in strengthening this proposal."

Coleman angered environmentalists when an earlier draft of his proposal, which came to light last fall, had language under which carbon dioxide would not be considered a pollutant under the Clean Air Act. That language is not in the current bill, Coleman's office said.

Coleman's proposed "Clean Energy Portfolio Standard" would require utilities to generate a growing percentage of their electricity from clean energy sources, such as wind, fuel cells, and fossil-fired plants that capture and sequester carbon dioxide emissions.

Kelly Scanlan, state director of the Minnesota Natural Legacy Campaign, said she was unimpressed with Coleman's proposal.

"Sen. Coleman is embracing a utility-backed plan that, according to an analysis by the Energy Information Administration, will still allow global warming pollution to increase by 23.1 percent from 2004 levels," she said. "Unfortunately, this is the classic congressional response of talking about solving a problem while making it worse. Minnesota deserves better. America deserves better."