U.S. Chamber of Commerce Softens Position on Climate Change Bill

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce said that if climate change legislation included the recommendations proposed by Sens. John Kerry, D-Mass., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., in a New York Times op-ed including minimizing the effects on major emitters, reducing price volatility, protecting U.S. global competitiveness, increasing offshore oil and gas drilling, and investing in renewable energy, nuclear power, and CCS technology, the chamber could support the bill, E&E News PM reported.

Bruce Josten, the chamber's executive VP for government affairs, wrote in a letter to Senate Environment & Public Works Chairwoman Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., and ranking member James Inhofe, R-Okla.: "Senators Kerry and Graham have set forth a positive, practical and realistic framework for legislation, one that echoes the core principles that the chamber embeds in all of its communications on climate policy." The U.S. Chamber of Commerce also called for intellectual property protections and assurances that federal agencies would not use existing laws to regulate GHG emissions.

Josten said: "The chamber stands ready to work with Congress to resolve this issue in a bipartisan manner that recognizes regional differences, the state of the technology, and the compelling need for a solution that minimizes overall economic impact." Boxer was quoted as saying of the chamber's new position on climate change legislation: "This really is a game-changer."