July 2003
Senate Hopes to Wrap Up Energy Bill in July
(July 15) The full Senate will resume consideration of the comprehensive energy bill
(S. 14) during the final week of July, just before the scheduled Aug. 2 start of the
month-long summer recess. Republican leaders want to complete work on the legislation
before they head home. If they don’t finish, Senate Energy and Natural Resources
Committee Chairman Pete Domenici, R-N.M., could file for cloture (to limit further debate)
immediately prior to recess so the Senate would come back in September with a date-certain
for completion of the bill.
Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, said staff are working to pare down the list of amendments
to the bill to 10 or 15 from a list of some 350 potential amendments. Craig said the contentious issues include climate change, taxes, hydro
relicensing and electricity. Domenici said he expects major amendments on at least six
issues, including climate change, a renewable portfolio standard and automobile fuel
efficiency standards.
Domenici is trying to gain agreement from key senators on a "manager’s
amendment" to the electricity title. Flint said issues under discussion for inclusion
in a manager’s amendment include: the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s
merger review authority; the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act; participant funding
of transmission; issues involving FERC’s standard market design; and voluntary vs.
mandatory participation in regional transmission organizations.
Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss, has said he is working with
Domenici’s staff on electricity issues of concern to southern states and hopes an
agreement can be reached soon. Lott and Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., have prepared
amendments to bar FERC from implementing its proposed standard market design until 2008;
to mandate participant funding; and to allow utilities to give preference to native load.
Source: American Public Power Weekly
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