EPA to Release Climate, Energy Bill Economic Modeling June 10

EPA is expected on June 10 to publicly release its economic modeling results on comprehensive energy and climate legislation, Greenwire reported. Republicans, said Greenwire, were expected to challenge the assumptions EPA used in the analysis of projected household costs and consumption rates resulting from cutting U.S. GHG emissions 17 percent below 2005 levels by 2020.

Citing other studies on the proposed legislation, authors Sens. John Kerry, D-Mass., and Joseph Lieberman, ID-Conn., were quoted as saying: "Several nonpartisan studies and economic analyses have now concluded that the American Power Act achieves the goals we set: to strengthen energy security and address climate change. Our approach creates jobs, protects consumers and reduces our oil dependence."

Also on June 10, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., plans to hold a climate legislation strategy meeting with key committee chairmen, and the Senate is scheduled to vote on a resolution offered by Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, intended to prevent EPA from writing emissions rules for cars and industrial facilities.