Monday, February 22, 2010

Lindsey Graham and General Electric Writing Energy Bill (GE)

And why not? USCAP basically wrote the Waxman-Markey cap-and-trade legislation.
The only thing that concerns me was my misapprehension that Joe Lieberman was (I-GE).
From Greenwire via the New York Times:

Sen. Graham Promotes Nuclear Power,' Clean Coal' in Draft Renewables Bill

A key Senate Republican is floating legislation that would give a big boost to nuclear power and coal as part of a nationwide standard for renewable energy, according to a draft bill obtained by E&E....

...Graham spokesman Kevin Bishop said yesterday that the senator started working on the proposal before teaming up last fall with Democrat John Kerry of Massachusetts and independent Joe Lieberman of Connecticut on a more sweeping energy and climate bill. Both Kerry and Lieberman have reviewed Graham's draft bill, Bishop said, but they have not agreed to include it in the comprehensive package -- details of which are expected to remain under wraps until at least next month.

Several sources said General Electric Co. helped Graham in crafting the legislative language. GE has the world's largest gas turbine manufacturing plant, in Greenville, S.C., and the company also is leading development of new nuclear reactors and a "clean coal" technology known as integrated gasification combined cycle, which has the capacity to capture and permanently sequester carbon emissions....

...In a prepared statement, GE said it is in talks with its customers, trade associations, nongovernment organizations and members of Congress "about the merits of a clean energy standard."

The company also praised Graham's efforts on the broader climate and energy bill. "Without his bipartisan leadership and collaboration in the Senate, the U.S. will lose its leadership role in one of the most promising sectors of our economy that could stimulate job creation, technology investments and American exports," it said....MORE