Deal on Climate close in the US House of Representatives

Ricardo Bayon on June 23, 2009 Comment

According to the Capitol Hill newspaper, Roll Call, a deal has been reached that should allow the Markey-Waxman climate change bill to pass in the US House of Representatives. The big issue lately was agriculture (see previous posts), but that now appears to be resolved. Now we are on to the Senate...

Also note that the Roll Call story below appears to have gotten it wrong vis-a-vis EPA. If you read the text being discussed, it seems the lion's share of the role on offsets goes to Secretary of Agriculture (i.e. USDA) and not the EPA. But we'll have to wait to see what happens in the end...

Check out the story from Roll Call:

Subject: Roll Call Breaking News - House Strikes Deal on Climate Change

ROLL CALL
June 23, 2009, 7:02 p.m.

House Strikes Deal on Climate Change

By Jennifer Bendery
Roll Call Staff

House Democrats struck a deal on climate change legislation Tuesday evening, clearing the path for final House passage on Friday.

Energy and Commerce Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) and Agriculture Chairman Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) announced their agreement after emerging from a closed-door meeting with the fiscally conservative Blue Dogs.

"You guys will be happy to know we have an agreement by now," said Peterson. "We have something that I think works for agriculture."

Added Waxman: "I think we will hold the votes we had and add to them with support from those from agricultural areas," said Waxman.

Responded Peterson: "I agree with that."

Peterson said there are still some areas that need to be resolved, but he said that agriculture-state Democrats agreed to address those issues down the road.

Negotiators overcame their biggest hurdle on the bill tonight: whether the Department of Agriculture or the Environmental Protection Agency would oversee the carbon offset program.

According to the final agreement, the EPA will run the offset program and Congress will seek guidance from the Obama administration to shape the role of the EPA in determining how carbon offsets are used.

Peterson said staff will be working on final language tonight in order to have a draft available to Members by Wednesday.