Official Summary of Waxman-Markey American Clean Energy and Security Act (H.R. 2454)
Posted by Brad Johnson
Sun, 17 May 2009 21:59:00 GMT
COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND COMMERCE
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MEMORANDUM
May 16, 2009
TO: Members of the Committee on Energy and Commerce
FR: Democratic Staff of the Committee on Energy and Commerce
RE: Full Committee Business Meeting on May 18
On Monday, May 18, 2009, at 1:00 p.m. in room 2123 Rayburn House Office Building,
the full Committee on Energy and Commerce will meet in open markup session to consider H.R.
2454, the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (ACES Act), comprehensive energy
legislation to deploy clean energy resources, increase energy efficiency, cut global warming
pollution, and transition to a clean energy economy.
In the past two and half years, the Committee has held dozens of hearings on energy and
climate change policy and has built a detailed factual record on the need for legislation in this
area. The nation’s dependence on foreign oil has significantly increased over the last decade.
Consumers have faced increasing and volatile energy prices. Other countries have overtaken us
in the manufacture of wind and solar energy. Energy company investments are paralyzed
because of uncertainty about what policies the Congress will establish. Meanwhile, global
warming pollution has increased unchecked.
On March 31, 2009, Chairman Waxman and Chairman Markey released a discussion
draft of the ACES bill to address these problems. Since that time, nearly 70 witnesses have
testified before the Committee about the legislation. The views of members and stakeholders
have been considered by the Chairmen and a revised version of the ACES bill was introduced on
May 15, 2009.
Following is a description of major provisions of the ACES bill. [Full text available here.]
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American Clean Energy And Security Act Contents
- 1 TITLE I - CLEAN ENERGY
- 2 TITLE II - ENERGY EFFICIENCY
- 3 Title III - REDUCING GLOBAL WARMING
- 4 TITLE IV - TRANSITIONING TO A CLEAN ENERGY ECONOMY
- 4.1 Subtitle A -Industrial Sector
- 4.2 Subtitle B - Green Jobs and Worker Transition
- 4.3 Subtitle C - Consumer Assistance
- 4.4 Subtitle D - Exporting Clean Technology
- 4.5 Subtitle E - Adapting to Climate Change
- 4.5.1 Part 1 - Domestic Adaptation
- 4.5.1.1 Subpart A - National Climate Change Adaptation Program
- 4.5.1.2 Subpart B - Public Health and Climate Change
- 4.5.1.3 Subpart C - Natural Resource Adaptation
- 4.5.1.3.1 Section 471-475, Purposes, Policy, Definitions, CEQ, Resources Adaptation Panel:
- 4.5.1.3.2 Section 476, Natural Resources Climate Change Adaptation Strategy:
- 4.5.1.3.3 Section 477, Natural Resources Climate Change Adaptation Science and Information:
- 4.5.1.3.4 Section 478, Federal Natural Resource Agency Adaptation Plans:
- 4.5.1.3.5 Section 479, State Natural Resources Adaptation Plans:
- 4.5.1.3.6 Section 480, Natural Resources Climate Change Adaptation Fund:
- 4.5.1.3.7 Section 481, National Wildlife Habitat and Corridors Information Program:
- 4.5.1.3.8 Section 482, Additional Provisions Regarding Indian Tribes:
- 4.5.2 Part 2 - International Climate Change Adaptation Program
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Safe Climate Act Contents
- 1 Title VII - GLOBAL WARMING POLLUTION REDUCTION PROGRAM
- 1.1 Part A - Global Warming Pollution Reduction Goals and Targets
- 1.2 Part B - Designation and Registration of Greenhouse Gases
- 1.3 Part C - Program Rules
- 1.4 Part D - Offsets
- 1.4.1 Section 731, Offsets Integrity Advisory Board:
- 1.4.2 Section 732, Establishment of Offsets Program:
- 1.4.3 Section 733, Eligible Project Types:
- 1.4.4 Section 734, Requirements for Offset Projects:
- 1.4.5 Sections 735 - 737, Approval and Verification of Offset Projects; Issuance of Offset Credits:
- 1.4.6 Section 738, Audits:
- 1.4.7 Section 739, Program Review and Revision:
- 1.4.8 Section 740, Early Offset Supply:
- 1.4.9 Section 741, Environmental Considerations:
- 1.4.10 Section 742, Trading:
- 1.4.11 Section 743, International Offset Credits:
- 1.5 Part E - Supplemental Emissions Reductions from Reduced Deforestation
- 1.6 Part F - Ensuring Real Reductions in Industrial Emissions
- 1.7 Part G - Petroleum Refineries
- 1.8 Part H - Disposition of Allowances
- 1.8.1 Section 781, Allocation of Allowances for Supplemental Reductions:
- 1.8.2 Section 782, Allocation of Emission Allowances:
- 1.8.3 Section 783, Electricity Consumers:
- 1.8.4 Section 784, Natural Gas Consumers:
- 1.8.5 Section 785, Home Heating Oil and Propane Consumers:
- 1.8.6 Section 786-788 [Reserved]
- 1.8.7 Section 789, Climate Change Rebates:
- 1.8.8 Section 790, Exchange for State-Issued Allowances:
- 1.8.9 Section 791, Auction Procedures:
- 1.8.10 Section 792, Auctioning Allowances for Other Entities:
- 1.8.11 Section 793, Establishment of Funds:
- 2 Title VIII - ADDITIONAL GREENHOUSE GAS STANDARDS
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The incentives for waste energy recovery and combined heat & power are especially promising. DOE and EPA studies suggest these things could slash U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 20% without any additional technology development. That’s as much as if we took every passenger vehicle off the road. Meanwhile, power costs would fall due to increased efficiency.
Full disclosure: I’m associated with Recycled Energy Development, a company that does this work. So I’m not an unbiased observer. But the reason I’m involved is precisely that there’s a massive amount of potential here to transform the way our nation produces power.