U.S. Climate Legislation

Read our letter to Senator Barbara Boxer on offsets and strengthening US climate legislation!

2 billion offsets are allowed in the both the House and Senate bills

On May 21, 2009, the Energy and Commerce Committee approved H.R. 2454, "The American Clean Energy and Security Act" (ACES), by a vote of 33 to 25. The House of Representatives passed H.R. 2454 by a vote of 219-212 on June 26, 2009. This legislation, introduced by Chairman Henry A. Waxman and Subcommittee Chairman Edward J. Markey, seeks to create millions of new clean energy jobs, save consumers hundreds of billions of dollars in energy costs, enhance America's energy independence, and cut global warming pollution. The legislation has received wide support from a diverse range of stakeholders.

While there is much to praise about ACES, the climate section of the bill is seriously weakened by its heavy reliance on offsets to substitute for actual emissions cuts by large polluters. Both the House and now the Senate draft bills allow up to two billion offsets each year - each supposedly an avoided emission of one metric ton of carbon dioxide. As the debate continues in Senate, International Rivers is working with a broad coalition of groups to make sure that whatever legislation emerges will be strong enough to fight global climate change.