Bingaman, Specter on New Climate Change Recommendations
April 19, 2007
12:07 PM
Sens. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) and Arlen Specter (R-PA) today received new policy recommendations from the National Commission on Energy Policy (NCEP) on how to design a mandatory, market-based program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. Bingaman and Specter have been working on a cap and trade proposal to address climate change for the past year.
NCEP is a bipartisan group of energy experts from industry, government, labor, academia, environmental and consumer groups. The 19-member panel was created in 2002 to address major U.S. energy issues that affect national security, economic prosperity and environmental health.
In January, Sens. Bingaman and Specter circulated a discussion draft on global warming legislation that they had developed. As follow-up, their staffs in February and March conducted a series of workshops for Congressional and Administration staffs, to offer an overview of the legislation and hear opinions from top energy and environmental experts, including those from NCEP. In addition, Bingaman and Specter staffs met with more than 300 stakeholders from a wide range of non-governmental organizations to preview the bill and solicit feedback.
Sen. Bingaman: “NCEP’s recommendations to strengthen the reduction targets and the safety valve are consistent with my goals of seriously addressing global warming in a way that does not harm the American economy. I will review these suggestions as we develop the legislation that Senator Specter and I plan to introduce.”
Sen. Specter: “I look forward to reviewing the updated recommendations from the National Commission on Energy Policy. Senator Bingaman and I will look to these recommendations and insights that others have offered on our climate change discussion draft as we refine our legislative proposal.”
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