David Roberts at Grist posts 4 bills or plans being talked about in the US Senate. Seems to me we need “something equal to the task at hand”.
Mediocre Emissions Limits + Nuke Subsidies: The McCain-Lieberman Bill, now cleverly rebranded the McCain-Lieberman-Obama Bill, is the leading candidate. It establishes a middling cap-and-trade system and ladles on, purely for the purpose of appeasing the right (a skill at which McCain is becoming quite adept), a bunch of nuke subsidies.
Mild Emissions Limits + Not Really: Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) is proposing a watered down set of caps — industries would have to “stabilize their emissions by 2020 at levels registered in 2013” — along with an “escape valve” that would let companies out of it if they, you know, didn’t like it or whatever. This thin gruel is said to represent “the center” in the Senate.
Tougher Emissions Limits + Boost CAFE Standards + Subsidize Big Corn + Raise Energy Efficiency Standards: Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Tom Carper (D-Del.) are introducing bills to cap emissions at electric plants and create a cap-and-trade system. Feinstein promises more bills that will raise auto fuel efficiency and energy efficiency standards and dump some money on biofuels.
Emissions Limits Equal to the Task at Hand: Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has introduced legislation that would cut U.S. emissions 80% from 1990 levels by 2050 through a combination of mandatory emissions cuts and subsidies to clean energy. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) is co-sponsoring and calls it the “gold standard.” (Retired Sen. James Jeffords (I-Vt.) introduced it last session.)
