House Democrats release climate plan

House leaders released Tuesday a broad plan to reduce carbon emissions and set renewable energy production mandates, the first detailed proposal in what is expected to be one of Democrats’ toughest battles in the coming years.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s point men on climate change House Energy and Commerce Chairman Henry Waxman and Energy and Rep Edward Markey, chair of the panel’s energy subcommittee detailed the plan to reducing carbon emissions through a trading scheme, a measure President Barack Obama has made a cornerstone of his domestic agenda but which has been loosely defined throughout the year.

The plan calls for a reduction of carbon emissions of 20 percent by 2020 using carbon trading system and requires utilities to purchase 25 percent of their energy from renewable fuel sources by 2025. By 2050, the lawmakers want to reduce U.S. carbon emissions by 83 percent.

The reduction goals are more ambitious than Mr. Obama’s outline released earlier this year. The president’s proposal called for a 15 percent reduction by 2020 and an 80 percent decline by 2050.

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“This legislation will create millions of clean energy jobs, put America on the path to energy independence, and cut global warming pollution.” Mr. Waxman, California Democrat, said in a statement Tuesday. “Our goal is to strengthen our economy by making America the world leader in new clean energy and energy-efficiency technologies.”

The bill draft does not say whether or not some of the allowances will be given away.

Entities that emit less than 25,000 tons of CO2 per year would not be covered by the reduction program. Instead, the Environmental Protection Agency would set emissions standards for these entities.

Mrs. Pelosi called the House proposal “historic and overdue.”

“The final legislation will create millions of new green jobs, increase our national security by reducing our dependence on foreign oil, increase American competitiveness by making us a technology leader, meet the climate crisis with sound science, and reduce overall energy costs for consumers and businesses,” she said.

But Republicans have already attacked the plan, predicting it will drive up energy costs for American businesses and consumers.

Mr. Waxman and Mr. Markey also laid out an accelerated schedule with which they hope to have the measure moved out of their committee by Memorial Day.

“As we proceed we hope you will share your views with us about the draft,” the two wrote in an accompanying memo to committee members Tuesday. “We urge you to join with us in working to address the energy challenges facing our country.”

While Democratic leaders in the House and Senate have said a cap-and-trade plan, in some fashion, will be approved as the cornerstone of climate change policy, rank-and-file lawmakers have not been as optimistic.