Senate Shelves Climate Legislation

Senate Shelves Climate Legislation

Senate Democrats shelved plans for climate legislation (LAT), probably ending hopes for broad action this year on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and other measures. The Senate will instead focus on a scaled-back plan focused on the BP oil spill, money for home-energy retrofits, and land and water conservation. See
Bowing to political reality, Senate Democrats drop broad energy bill
Majority Leader Harry Reid acknowledges there aren't enough votes and instead will offer a scaled-back measure focused on the gulf oil spill.

The Senate leadership's decision to shelve a cap-and-trade bill will weaken the U.S. bargaining position in world climate diplomacy, says CFR's Michael Levi. See Gloom Awaits U.S. Climate Diplomacy http://www.cfr.org/publication/22689/gloom_awaits_us_climate_diplomacy.html