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To: no1coalking who wrote (1483)	11/1/2007 9:53:56 PM
From: no1coalking	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 2774

CLIMATE: Edwards decries 'corporate windfall' in Lieberman-Warner bill (11/01/2007) Darren Samuelsohn, E&ENews PM senior reporter Former Sen. John Edwards injected Democratic presidential politics into the Capitol Hill global warming debate today, calling a bill passed this morning in a Senate subcommittee a "massive corporate windfall." Edwards' presidential campaign in Chapel Hill, N.C., issued a three-paragraph statement questioning emission reduction targets in "America's Climate Security Act," which is cosponsored by Sens. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) and John Warner (R-Va.). Edwards also challenged the method that Lieberman and Warner used to distribute tens of billion dollars in emission credits for free to industry. "Are we going to do everything climate science says is needed to save our planet?" Edwards said. "The Lieberman-Warner bill says no. Worst of all, it gives away pollution permits to industry for free -- a massive corporate windfall -- instead of doing what is right and selling them so that we can use these resources to invest in clean energy research and help regular families go green." Edwards' criticism sets up a political test for four incumbent senators also running for the Democratic nomination, and especially for the party's front-runner, New York's Hillary Rodham Clinton. Clinton sits on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and represents an important vote as the bill's cosponsors try later this year to move the measure to the Senate floor. Earlier this year, Clinton and the other Democratic senators running for president -- Barack Obama of Illinois, Chris Dodd of Connecticut and Joe Biden of Delaware -- cosponsored a climate bill that would seek emission cuts largely in line with what Edwards wants, though it also stays silent on how to dole out credits to industry. But the bill moving in the Senate EPW Committee includes a less aggressive political compromise aimed at satisfying some key Republicans and Democrats. 'In the cross hairs' "It's obvious she is in the cross hairs on a lot of issues," Frank O'Donnell, head of the nonprofit advocacy group Clean Air Watch, said of Clinton. "I think it's really going to be front and center what she does on global warming. If she votes to go along with the compromise plan, she'll be very likely subject to criticism by Edwards and Obama." Several environmental groups critical of the climate bill, such as Friends of the Earth and U.S. Public Interest Research Group, found fault with the Lieberman-Warner bill today. And Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) voted against the legislation because it wasn't strong enough. Friends of the Earth has also endorsed Edwards for president. Spokespersons for Clinton, Biden, Dodd and Obama did not return calls for comment on the Lieberman-Warner legislation. Presumably, all four would be forced to address the climate issue when it reaches the Senate floor, which a spokesman for Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said won't happen until next year. Meanwhile, a key House Democrat said global warming politics during the presidential contest won't influence his thinking on the issue. "Simply because a candidate for president takes a position now doesn't necessarily mean the final product is going to reflect that viewpoint," Rep. Rick Boucher (D-Va.) said yesterday in an interview. "I don't feel pressured by any position by any candidates for federal office." Boucher, as chairman of the Energy and Air Quality Subcommittee, will play a key role in writing any climate bill that comes out of the House. Click here to view Edwards' statement.