Sen. Stabenow jumps on climate denial train

Debbie Stabenow says no to M!ch!gan!Cross-posted from the Wonk Room.

Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) has joined the pro-polluter frenzy sweeping the U.S. Senate, introducing legislation to permanently cripple Clean Air Act rules on global warming pollution. The small business legislation, the SBIR/STTR Reauthorization Act of 2011 (S. 493), introduced by Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.), is being used as a vehicle for senators who wish to prevent regulation of greenhouse pollution from oil refineries, coal-fired power plants, heavy industry, and other major emitters. Stabenow has added her amendment to three others intended to hamstring the Environmental Protection Agency on behalf of carbon polluters.

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has introduced amendment 183 [PDF], the Energy Tax Prevention Act of 2011, first introduced by Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.). The amendment is cosponsored by Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Mike Johanns (R-Neb.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), and Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.). The amendment calls for:

• The permanent prohibition on Clean Air Act regulation of greenhouse gases, other than the existing motor vehicle rules
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• Repeal of the greenhouse gas endangerment finding and reporting requirements
• Preventing any future California waiver for tailpipe greenhouse emissions

Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) has introduced amendment 215 [PDF], the EPA Stationary Source Regulations Suspension Act, cosponsored by Sens. Jim Webb (D-Va.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), Tim Johnson (D-S.D.), and Kent Conrad (D-N.D.). The amendment calls for:

• A two-year suspension of stationary source regulations of carbon dioxide and methane.

Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) has introduced amendment 236 [PDF], which has three elements:

• Forbidding regulation of greenhouse gases from a emitter that doesn’t also produce other regulated air pollution
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• Codification of the EPA tailoring rule that establishes a 75,000 ton CO2e/year threshold for regulation
• Excluding regulation of biofuel greenhouse emissions related to land-use changes, or of any greenhouse emissions from other agricultural activities

Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) has introduced amendment 265 [PDF], which has four elements:

• A two-year suspension of stationary source greenhouse gas regulations
• Preventing any future California waiver for tailpipe greenhouse emissions
• Excluding regulation of biofuel greenhouse emissions related to land-use changes, or of any greenhouse emissions from other agricultural activities
• Allocating $5 billion to the Advanced Energy Project tax credit

Votes on some combination of these amendments is expected as early as Thursday afternoon.