Power Bill’s Proposers Prepare Counterattack
Even as the health-care fight controls the titles , another Washington fight is heating up over climate and energy . In late June, the House of Agents passed a trademark bill putting caps on the emanations that cause universal warming, and the Senate is expected to take up the measure in late September or October—if it first manages to deal with health care. In anticipation, opponents like the National Association of Manufacturers, the American Petroleum Institute, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce have mounted an expensive campaign of ads and rallies to try to win over key Senators.
The lineup of powerful adversary —along with the partisan divide that has developed over health care—has fueled speculation that the climate legislation is dying. The opponents “clearly have the jump on us,” acknowledges Betsy Moler, lobbyist for Chicago-based utility Exelon (EXC), a strong supporter of the bill. But proponents are plotting a strong counterattack , and they believe they have at least a fighting possibility of succeeding, in part because regulators are poised to act if Congress doesn’t. “There is reason for guarded optimism,” says Steven Corneli, junior vice-president of market and climate policy at NRG Energy (NRG), a Princeton-based utility pushing hard for carbon caps.
Exelon and NRG are among the leaders of a league of companies gearing up to get out the report that a big chunk of corporate America, from Alcoa and GE to the utility industry, sure that caps on carbon emanations and policies to encourage cleaner energy are crucial. They are planning op-ed articles, media campaigns, and a procession of CEOs, such as Exelon’s John W. Rowe, a Republican, to appeal their case in the Senate.
Meanwhile, environmental gatherings have been running ads praising Representatives who voted for the House bill as idols , going door to door and calling amount of people in key states, and organizing a journey through the heartland, featuring steelworkers-turned-windmill makers and other clean power workers.
On Sept. 8, supporters stepped up their attempt . A group of 64 environmental organizations, labor unions , business commands , activists, sportsmen, and religious organizations launched a coordinated multimillion dollar campaign, dubbed Clean Energy Works, to push for legislation . “All of us are coming together and pooling our resources ,” explains Maggie L. Fox, chief executive officer for the Alliance for Climate Protection , a group founded by Al Gore. The members include American Hunters & Shooters, Business Forward, Catholics United, the Natural Resources Defense Council, VoteVets, and the United Steelworkers.
Legislation Hinges on Swing Votes
The struggle will be fought with ads, gatherings , and rings all across the country. But ultimately the fight is “really about the hearts and minds of about 20 people,” explains Exelon’s Moler—the swing votes in the Senate. On the list: More than a dozen moderate Democrats, such as Arkansas’ Blanche Lincoln, Claire McCaskill of Missouri, Byron Dorgan and Kent Conrad in North Dakota, and Mark Warner and Jim Webb in Virginia, as well as a handful of Republicans—Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe in Maine, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, and John McCain of Arizona.
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