Rep. Waxman Says CO2 Limits Could be Added to Senate Energy Bill

Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., offered the possibility of adding CO2 emissions limits to whatever energy legislation the Senate might pass when the House and Senate bills were reconciled in conference, E&E News PM reported. Waxman was quoted as saying: "The Senate will have to get its act together and, I hope, pass an energy bill. Then we'll talk to them and figure out what the final product would be."

Wrote E&E News PM: "Some cap-and-trade advocates see a House-Senate conference as the last remaining possibility this year for legislating greenhouse gas emission limits. But that approach is still seen as a long shot."

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said climate and energy legislation would probably not be considered during the lame duck session after the November elections. McCain was quoted as saying: "No Republican would support such a thing when we make significant gains in both House and Senate. If I had my way, and I think our leadership agrees to a large degree, we would make sure that the government continues to function and then take up all these issues in the new Congress."