House Hammers Out Energy Bill

CAFE will serve as the cornerstone of the energy legislation that will be on the House floor next week.  We will achieve the major goal of increasing vehicle efficiency standards to 35 miles per gallon in 2020, marking an historic advancement in our efforts in the Congress to address our energy security and laying strong groundwork for climate legislation next year.  We are confident that this final product will win the support of the environmental, labor and manufacturing communities.

This landmark energy legislation will offer the automobile industry the certainty it needs, while offering flexibility to automakers and ensuring we keep American manufacturing jobs and continued domestic production of smaller vehicles.

This comprehensive package will also include an increase in the Renewable Fuels Standard and a Renewable Electricity Standard, among other key provisions.

The reviews are starting to come in; here are a couple.

*Environmental blog Gristmill says, "This is not an ideal energy bill by any stretch of the imagination, but (assuming it passes and gets by Bush) it's a big, positive step, one worth celebrating."  It also praises Nancy Pelosi and John Dingell, adding that "If the Dems pull it off in one session, with slim majorities, they deserve some credit."

*Booman Tribune calls it "an early Yuletide miracle."

*The New York Times writes in its lead article that "The latest version of the measure, if it becomes law, will force wrenching changes on the American car companies, from design studios to new-car showrooms to executive suites."   It also points out, however, that "even if [the U.S. car companies] meet the law's mandate, the fuel efficiency of the American car fleet will still lag far behind that of other major industrialized countries."

Besides fuel economy standards for vehicles, the New York Times reports that the energy bill "will divert vast tracts of farmland to produce ethanol and other renewable fuels and bring a bonanza for solar and wind power."  That's great news on the solar and wind power provision; pretty much a no-brainer there.   As far as the ethanol part of the bill is concerned, how good or bad it might be depends on exactly what it says.  The best option is to move quickly towards advanced technology cellulosic ethanol, switchgrass and other sustainable/environmentally friendly crops.  We also have to be careful not to drive up the cost of feed for livestock and food for humans, which is why I strongly prefer moving towards the advanced forms of ethanol, made from things that nobody eats.

{UPDATE: One of the smartest people in the country on energy/environment weighs in with "Energy Bill deals:  Yea and, well, Sigh..."}

[UPDATE #2: The Sierra Club is ecstatic about this bill, saying it "couldn't be more overjoyed."}

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