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Climate and energy proved a winning combination this month when the House Energy and Commerce Committee cast a "yes" vote on the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (ACES).
The bill's cap-and-trade system sets a price on CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions, correcting a market failure that sets the price of polluting at zero. ACES would require major cuts in covered emissions, beginning in 2012 and reaching an 83 percent reduction by 2050. The need to meet the cap is likely to spur substantial investment in energy efficiency, which is often the quickest, cheapest and cleanest way to reduce emissions.
Deemed "landmark legislation" by Alliance President Kateri Callahan in her blog post in the National Journal Online, the bill must pass muster with several other House committees before coming to a vote on the House floor. Whether it makes its way to the Senate – which is currently debating a separate energy bill, and which may debate a climate bill, albeit at a far slower pace – remains to be seen. But whichever way the votes fall, one thing is sure: ACES has set the tone of the energy and climate debate in the 111th Congress.
You can access a summary of ACES and the Alliance’s analysis of the bill on our ACES webpage. We will continue to keep this page updated as events progress.
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As the ACES bill moves from the House Energy and Commerce Committee to the next stages, it is even more urgent to underscore for policymakers the important role energy efficiency must play in a comprehensive energy and climate bill. Donate to the Alliance today and join us in our mission to advance energy efficiency in federal policy.
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