Obama will focus on energy bill after bank reform
This is one of these foundational priorities from my perspective that has to be done soon, Obama said, referring to energy legislation at a meeting of chief executives and other officials who make up part of his outside economic advisory board.
The House of Representatives passed a bill last year that would require the United States to reduce its emissions of greenhouse gases by 17 percent by 2020 compared to 2005 levels.
The Senate has not passed a similar measure but a bipartisan group of senators including Democrat John Kerry, Republican Lindsey Graham and independent Joe Lieberman are expected to produce a bill in the coming weeks.
As has been noted, theres been a good bipartisan discussion taking place within the Senate around a mechanism that would put a prize on carbon, Obama said.
In terms of timing, financial regulatory reform will take several more weeks and then, you know, well probably be transitioning next to look at what can be done on the energy front.
Obama urged business leaders to voice their support for climate legislation to lawmakers.
Some environmentalists have questioned how big a priority Obama will make climate legislation on his long list of domestic policy priorities.
Related News
B.C. Hydro doing good job managing billions in capital assets, says auditor
VICTORIA - A report by B.C.’s auditor-general says B.C. Hydro is doing a good job managing the province’s dams, generating stations and power lines.
Carol Bellringer says in the audit that B.C. Hydro’s assets are valued at more than $25 billion and even though some generating facilities are more than 85 years old they continue to operate near full-capacity.
The report says about 80 per cent of Hydro’s assets are dams, generators, power lines, poles, substations and transformers that are used to provide electrical service to B.C.
The audit says Hydro invested almost $2.5 billion to renew, repair or replace the assets it…
