Energy Bill

The other day I had a very interesting and helpful meeting with Mary Ann Smith, MM, who has been participating in the Washington Interfaith Energy and Ecology Working Group for us. Mary Ann brought questions about our position on the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act (S 2191). The dilemma is a typical one in terms of Congressional action - is it better to hold out for the ideal or to accept the best compromise you can get, believing that it moves the debate in the right direction?

Almost always we (MOGC) err on the side of being prophetic, which also at times makes our opinion irrelevant in the political discussion, but I think it is the right place for us to be because of what Maryknollers see and hear.

This bill will probably get to the Senate floor in May or June, but the question is now being asked of faith communities, "What is your position on the bill? What needs to change to have your support? What will preclude your eventually giving support?"

Mary Ann and I talked about a number of things and will need to talk more with Ann and others. An emphasis on nuclear energy is not now in the bill but it is likely to be added. That would be for us, I think, a "killer" amendment.

But the biggest problem is that the major emphasis of the bill is on capping carbon emissions and carbon trading. There is an assumption that we can "preserve robust growth in the US economy, create new jobs and avoid the imposition of hardships on US citizens." I don't think so. The same economic model that got us into this mess will not get us out.

But how can we move the discussion anywhere positive and recognize our responsibilities to the global community? One possible step in terms of the legislative debate is to try to make any carbon trading strictly domestic and within very low ceilings. How do we not give the already industrialized world the space to use up so-called "carbon credits" from the South that otherwise might not ever be used?

Mary Ann is going to bring some of our questions back to the group to see where others are.

To be continued ...