Policy Update: American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009

On Monday, May 18, the House Energy and Commerce Committee  officially began debate on the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009(ACES). This historic legislation would cap greenhouse gas emissions while implementing complementary policies that would support our transition to a sustainable, clean-energy economy.
 
On Friday afternoon, Chairmen Waxman and Markey, the architects of the bill, introduced a text version – the product of several weeks of negotiations regarding a previous discussion draft. On Monday, prior to the start of markup, a substitute was released that included several technical and  substantive revisions. It appears that the Committee is now working from this text.
 
The  Alliance strongly supports the framework of the Waxman-Markey bill. ACES  provides a critical and effective framework for making the United States a world leader in advancing energy efficiency and addressing climate change. An  effective cap on carbon emissions will encourage people to become more efficient and drive innovation in energy efficiency technologies. According to  a recent analysis by the Environmental Protection Agency, under the Waxman-Markey cap-and-trade mechanism, growth in energy consumption would be flat between now and 2050.
 
Interested  in following the ACES Act as it makes its way through the committee? Please visit the Alliance's Climate page to track developments on climate legislation.  We  will continue to update the webpage and keep our Associates apprised of  important developments. If you have questions about provisions in the ACES  bill, please don't hesitate to contact the Alliance Policy Team at policyinfo@ase.org.