It has not received any attention in the media, but on March 31, 2009 House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Rep. Henry Waxman and Rep. Edward Markey, Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Environment released their plan to fight global warming. As I predicted back in Episode 62 of This Week in Nuclear , they are promoting a federal mandate on wind and solar power funded by huge increases in energy costs.
Although nuclear energy produces 70% of the CO2-emission free energy in the USA today, in the entire 648 page bill the word "nuclear" is mentioned only twice (once is to provide an editorial change to a prior bill).
Full Text of the Draft Legislation
Key parts of their plan:
- Create a national renewable portfolio standard to force utilities to generate (or purchase) at least 25% of the electricity they sell from "renewable sources" and pass the cost to rate payers (see page 15 of the bill)
- Establish a green house gas trading system (see page 358)
- And yes, federal government regulation over personal hot tubs (see page 223)
The Markey/Waxman bill would force California-style energy rules on the entire USA. We all know how that turned out! The Senate will have their hands full in creating a more balanced, logical approach to fight climate change that is based on sound science and good economics.
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