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Edison, the nation’s largest electric utility association has joined three of the largest oil companies in the US–Shell, BP, and ConocoPhilips—in endorsing a compromise climate change bill introduced recently by Senators John Kerry, Lindsey Graham, and Joe Lieberman. Republican Senator Graham has noted that the support of business interests who fear EPA regulation is key to harnessing his party’s support for the bill. This outreach to businesses may be responsible for many of the problems that environmental activists have with the bill. But now, in response to the White House and Democrats scrambling to react to Arizona’s new anti-immigrant law, Senator Graham yesterday pulled his support, jeopardizing the future of the bill altogether. Already speculation abounds that the bill may die in the Senate, and for some environmentalists, that may not be a bad idea given how watered down it is. While they accept the proposed long-term goal in the bill of 80% greenhouse gas reduction by 2050 as safe for the planet, they are seriously concerned about the short term proposed reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of only 17% by 2020. Such a short term reduction will not prevent global temperatures from rising 2 degrees Celsius (3.5 degrees Fahrenheit). A common consensus among environmentalists is that a 35% reduction by 2020 would be likelier to stave off global catastrophe. Additionally, activists argue that the incentives for renewable energy production and technology are inadequate, especially compared to risky nuclear production, offshore gas and oil drilling, and the coal industry, which are set to receive large government loans.

GUEST: Tyson Slocum, Director of Public Citizen’s Energy Program

Find out more at www.citizen.org. Read about the CLEAR Act which Public Citizen supports, at http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s111-2877