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Untitled Document
Cap-&-Trade and Carbon Tax Legislation
As a service to its members and the public, the AAAS Center for Science, Technology
and Congress has created a side-by-side comparison of cap-&-trade and carbon
tax legislation currently under consideration in the 110th Congress. The Center
staff will update the chart accordingly as additional legislation is introduced.
House and Senate Bills
America's Climate Security Act (S.2191), Sen. Joe Lieberman & Sen. John Warner
America's Energy Security Trust Fund Act of 2007 (H.R. 3416), Rep. John Larson
Clean Air/Climate Change Act of 2007
(S.1168), Sen. Lamar Alexander
Clean Air Planning Act of 2007 (S. 1177), Sen. Thomas Carper
Climate Stewardship and Innovation Act of 2007 (S. 280 /
H.R.620), Sen. Joe Lieberman, Sen. John McCain, & Rep. John Olver
Electric Utility Cap and Trade Act of 2007 (S.317), Sen.
Dianne Feinstein
Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act (S.309), Sen. Bernard
Sanders
Global Warming Reduction Act (S. 485), Sen. John Kerry
Low Carbon Economy Act (S.1766), Sen. Jeff Bingaman &
Sen. Arlen Specter
Safe Climate Act of 2007 (H.R.1590), Rep. Henry Waxman
Save Our Climate Act of 2007 (H.R. 2069), Rep. Pete Stark
Legislation At-a-Glance
Legislation in Depth
America's Climate Security Act of 2007 (S.2191)
- Caps emissions to 10 percent below 2005 levels by 2020, 30 percent by 2030, 50 percent by 2030, and 70 percent below 2005 levels by 2050.
- 24 percent of the allowances are auctioned off to producers by a newly-created Climate Change Credit Corporation.
- Emitters may satisfy 15 percent of the allowance submission requirement by submitting allowances or credits obtained on a foreign greenhouse gas emissions trading market.
- Creates a Carbon Market Efficiency Board to regulate the market for carbon allowances.
- Mandates a study group to investigate carbon sequestration regulations and a legal framework options.
- Establishes an Advanced Coal Technologies Program to research and develop carbon capture and storage technologies and research coal types.
- Allows for agricultural, forestry, and other land-use carbon offsets.
- Establishes energy efficiency programs and standards.
- Establishes several programs to encourage cellulosic biofuel production.
- Implements a low carbon fuel standard that requires fuel to contain 5 percent less carbon by 2015 and 10 percent less carbon by 2020.
To view bill's status click here for Legislative Tracker 2007
To read full details of the bill's progress in the December 2007 issue of Science and Technology in Congress click here
America's Energy Security Trust Fund Act of 2007 (H.R. 3416)
- Imposes a $15 tax per ton of carbon on any taxable carbon substance sold by the manufacturer, producer, or importer in 2008. The tax will be adjusted with the cost of living every year thereafter.
- Allots tax refunds to carbon emissions that are sequestered.
- Establishes a trust fund that will finance R&D for clean and renewable energy sources.
To view bill's status click here for Legislative Tracker 2007
Clean Air/Climate Change Act of
2007 (S.1168)
- Caps electric generation sector. Emissions are capped at 2.3bl. metric tons
of carbon dioxide in 2011-2014, 2.1bl. metric tons in 2015-2019, 1.8bl. metric
tons in 2020-2040, and 1.5bl. metric tons every year after 2025. All new plants
must meet the Standard of Performance equivalent to emissions limits of 1,100lb
of carbon dioxide per megawatt hour. (The bill also makes provisions for Mercury,
Nitrogen Oxide, and Sulfur Dioxide emissions.)
- Encourages energy efficiency technology and defines energy efficiency as
a carbon dioxide offset tool.
- Encourages renewable energy use and allows it to offset carbon dioxide emissions.
- Encourages carbon sequestration and considers terrestrial and geological
sequestration a carbon dioxide offset action. Mandates the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) to develop human health and environmental standards for carbon
sequestration.
To view bill's status click here
for Legislative Tracker 2007
Clean Air Planning Act of 2007
(S. 1177)
- Caps 2012-2014 emissions at 2006 levels, 2015 emissions at 2001 levels,
2016-2019 emissions at 1 percent less than the year prior, 2020 emissions
at 1.5 percent less than the year prior. Starting in 2030 and every year thereafter,
emissions capped at 3 percent less than the level of preceding years.
(The bill also makes provisions for Mercury, Nitrogen Oxide, and Sulfur Dioxide
emissions.)
- Establishes an Energy Efficiency Technology Program with annual funding
15 percent of the Climate Action Trust Fund.
- Mandates the EPA to establish a carbon dioxide allowances reserve to encourage
clean coal technologies. Calls the EPA to develop criteria and standards for
advanced clean coal technology. Mandates the EPA to annually invest 20 percent
of the Climate Action Trust Fund into development and deployment of clean
coal technologies.
- Establishes a low- and zero-emitting carbon dioxide technology research
program.
- Calls for R&D in energy efficiency, carbon dioxide lifecycle analysis
of energy generation, and agricultural sequestration.
- Encourages research into sequestration technology and provides allowances
to sequestration projects.
To view bill's status click here
for Legislative Tracker 2007
Climate Stewardship and Innovation
Act of 2007 (S.
280 / H.R.620)
- Caps tradeable allowances at 6,130 million metric tons, measured in units
of carbon dioxide equivalents, reduced by the amount of greenhouse gas emissions
in 2012. 2020 allowances will be 5,239 million metric tons, 4,100 million
metric tons by 2030 and 2,096 million metric tons by 2050.
- Makes a variety of allowances for international emissions credits.
- Establishes an energy efficiency program in the Department of Energy (DOE)
aimed specifically at mitigating climate change.
- Provides secured loans or loan guarantees for 3 low or zero greenhouse gas
emitting advanced reactor design projects for which applications for combined
construction and operating licenses have been filed on or before December
31, 2015.
- Provides secured loans or loan guarantees for 3 integrated gasification
combined cycle coal power plants with carbon capture and geological storage.
- Calls the DOE, EPA and Department of Transportation (DOT) to jointly establish
a competitive, merit-based research program to fund renewable fuels and energy
proposals.
- Increases financial incentives for climate change and energy efficiency
technology development. Mandates the National Science Foundation (NSF) to
increase and establish funding priorities for university research in climate
change adaptation and mitigation. Mandates the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) to establish program to research abrupt climate change.
- Establishes a working partnership between DOE and United States Geological
Survey (USGS) to produce research, guidelines and standards for carbon sequestration.
To view bill's status click here
for Legislative Tracker 2007
Electric Utility Cap and Trade
Act of 2007 (S.317)
- Caps emissions at 2006 levels by 2011-2014; to 2001 levels by 2015; and
reduces emissions by 1.5 percent every year starting in 2020.
- Makes a variety of allowances for international emissions credits.
- Climate Action Trust Fund for development and deployment of technologies
for increasing the efficiency of energy end-use in buildings and industry
and the Energy Efficiency Technology Program.
- Eligible for limited emissions allowances.
- Climate Action Trust Fund for development and deployment of clean coal technologies
and the Clean Coal Technology Program.
- Climate Action Trust Fund for development and deployment of low- and zero-emitting
carbon dioxide electricity generation technologies.
- Outlines climate change related research priorities for NSF, NOAA, National
Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA) and the EPA.
- Provides offset credits and early reductions credits for carbon sequestration.
To view bill's status click here
for Legislative Tracker 2007
Global Warming Pollution Reduction
Act (S.309)
- Caps emissions at 80 percent of 1990 levels by 2050.
- Calls the US to participate in negotiations under the UNFCCC and establishes
a bipartisan Senate observation group to monitor international negotiations
on climate change and ensure timely consideration of treaties.
- Starting in 2008, requires suppliers to annually achieve electricity savings
and reduce peak power demand and electricity use by a prescribed amount. Calls
for 11.75 percent-9.0 percent energy efficiency improvement by 2020.
- Requires vehicles to meet new standards by 2016. 205 carbon dioxide equivalent
grams per mile for automobiles with weight of 8,500-3,750lb; 332 grams for
vehicles with weight of 8,500-3,750lb; 405 grams for vehicles with weight
of 8,501-10,000 lb.
- Requires 20 percent of US electricity to come from renewable sources by
2020. Allows for renewable energy credits but prohibits double credit counting.
- Establishes government support for R&D of basic and applied research
relating to technologies aimed at reducing global warming.
- Provides grants to study sequestration technologies and requires government
to establish standards for carbon sequestration.
To view bill's status click here
for Legislative Tracker 2007
Global Warming Reduction Act (S.
485)
- Freezes economy-wide emissions in 2010 and reduces emissions to 65 percent
below 2000 levels by 2050.
- Requires the President to engage in international climate talks.
- Awards tax credits for individuals who invest in energy efficient technologies.
- Sets emission standards equal to or greater than standards adopted by the
California Air Resources Board in September 2004.
- Establishes measures to advance technology and reduce emissions through
renewable energy. Requires 20 percent of US electricity to come from renewable
sources by 2020.
- Provides new R&D funds for cleaner, more efficient vehicles.
- Requires the Secretary of Agriculture to establish standards for accrediting
certified reductions in the emission by carbon sequestration, updating standards
every three years.
To view bill's status click here
for Legislative Tracker 2007
Low Carbon Economy Act (S. 1766)
- Caps emissions at 2006 levels by 2020 and at 1990 levels by 2030, includes
a "Technology Accelerator Payment" (TAP) that works like a safety
valve starting at $12 per metric ton of carbon dioxide.
- Regulates "upstream" emissions produced by the petroleum and natural
gas industries and "downstream" emissions for the coal industry.
- Compels the U.S. to engage with developing countries to fund R&D and
technology transfer programs. Accepts foreign carbon credits in the U.S. when
accepted by President.
- Creates Early Technology Deployment Programs that fund zero- or low-carbon
energy technologies, such as cellulosic biomass and energy efficiency.
- Allows 24 percent of allowances to be auctioned off to generate R&D
funding, this allocation rises to 53 percent by 2030.
- Sets aside 8 percent of allowances for carbon capture and storage to incentivize
investment. Facilities sequestering carbon shall receive 1 credit for every
ton of sequestered carbon. Facilities employing carbon capture and storage
technology, operating by 2030 and meet all other requirements are allotted
bonus allowances, 3.5 allowances for every ton of carbon sequestered. The
bonus allowances are reduced to 0.5 by 2039.
To view bill's status click here
for Legislative Tracker 2007
For detailed bill information and analysis, visit the Senate's
Energy and Natural Resources website
Safe Climate Act of 2007 (H.R.1590)
- Caps 2010 emissions at 2009 levels. Reduces emissions by 2 percent each
year after 2010. Starting in 2021, reduces emissions by 5 percent annually
so that emissions in 2050 do not exceed 20 percent of the 1990 level.
- Calls for US participation in UNFCCC negotiations to establish mitigation
commitments by all major greenhouse gas emitters.
- Creates end-user savings targets for retail electric-energy and natural
gas suppliers. Targets based on annual savings of supplier's retail sales
must increase from .25 percent in sales in 2010 to 1 percent of sales in 2012-2020.
- Sets emission standards equal to or greater than standards adopted by the
California Air Resources Board in September 2004.
- Calls for 20 percent of US electricity to come from renewable sources by
2020.
To view bill's status click here
for Legislative Tracker 2007
Save Our Climate Act of 2007
(H.R. 2069)
- Imposes a $10 tax per ton of carbon on primary fossil fuels. After 2008,
the tax is increased by $10 annually, until carbon dioxide levels are below
20 percent of 1990 levels.
To view bill's status click here
for Legislative Tracker 2007
Updated January 7, 2008
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