TMS Public and Governmental Affairs Resource Center

FROM THE FEDERATION OF MATERIALS SOCIETIES: In a flurry of activity before their summer recess, the House and Senate passed energy bills that will be very difficult to reconcile in conference committee—and then, even if both houses can come to agreement, the President is likely to exercise his veto. The largest disagreements are over vehicle fuel-economy standards, included in the Senate bill but not in the House version, and renewable fuel mandates. Also, the House package would increase taxes on the oil and gas industry to make up for expanded tax breaks for renewable energy, plug-in hybrid cars and energy-efficient buildings and appliances. The House bill also would create a 46 billion "green bond fund” to help local and state governments build energy-efficient projects.

Part of Speaker Nancy Pelosi's "can-do" agenda, the House package incorporates bills from nearly a dozen committees. The largest number came from the House Science Committee. They include a requirement that the U.S. Geological Survey conduct a national assessment of potential capacity for the sequestration of carbon dioxide; greater access to global climate change information for federal, state, regional and local user groups; authorization of large-scale demonstrations of both carbon dioxide capture technologies and sequestration; expanded research, development and demonstration funding for Enhanced Geothermal Systems; support of R&D on technologies to produce electric power from ocean waves; expansion of funding levels for biofuels R&D, including research into biofuels infrastructure needs and the efficiency of biorefineries; and a solar power R&D measure.

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