The House Committee on Energy and Commerce approved a markup of the proposed American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 H.R. 2454 today. In a statement released by the committee, committee chair Waxman stated: ” “Today the Committee took decisive and historic action to promote America’s energy security and to create millions of clean energy jobs that will drive our economic recovery and long-term growth.”
The Bill, which still faces several more legislative hurdles, has four main components:
* A clean energy title that promotes renewable sources of energy, carbon capture and sequestration technologies, clean electric vehicles, and the smart grid and electricity transmission.
* An energy efficiency title that increases energy efficiency across all sectors of the economy, including buildings, appliances, transportation, and industry.
* A global warming title that places limits on emissions of heat-trapping pollutants. This legislation would cut global warming pollution by 17% compared to 2005 levels in 2020, by 42% in 2030, and by 83% in 2050. These are science-based targets and within the range agreed to by USCAP.
* A title that protects U.S. consumers and industry and promotes green jobs during the transition to a clean energy economy.