Robin Bravender, E&E reporter<\/p>\n
Industry and left-leaning advocacy groups are waging last-minute lobbying efforts as the Senate prepares to vote tomorrow on a measure aimed at blocking federal climate regulations.<\/p>\n
A coalition of 24 industry groups sent a letter yesterday to members of the Senate urging them to support a resolution from Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) that would prevent U.S. EPA from regulating greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act.<\/p>\n
The groups include the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, American Petroleum Institute, National Mining Association, National Petrochemical & Refiners Association, National Association of Manufacturers and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, among others.<\/p>\n
“While our organizations may differ on some subjects with respect to approaches toward climate change, we are united in opposition to unilateral EPA action to regulate [greenhouse gases] under the [Clean Air Act],” the letter says.<\/p>\n
The letter also urges senators to oppose any measures to codify EPA regulation of greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act by legislatively affirming EPA’s “tailoring” rule or similar measures.<\/p>\n
Sens. Tom Carper (D-Del.) and Bob Casey (D-Pa.) have discussed introducing a measure that would seek to exempt small stationary sources from greenhouse gas regulations while allowing the agency to regulate larger emitters. The proposal would be “very similar” to EPA’s tailoring rule, which would phase in greenhouse gas permitting requirements starting with the biggest polluters, according to a Senate aide (E&E Daily, May 18).<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, a liberal advocacy group is expanding a television campaign targeting Murkowski’s supporters to include Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown, one of the few Republicans who has not yet declared support for the resolution.<\/p>\n
Americans United for Change — a group formed in 2005 by Democratic officials and labor interests — will launch a $40,000 television ad in Boston tomorrow targeting the Massachusetts senator after hearing that he is “leaning toward supporting it,” said Jeremy Funk, the group’s spokesman.<\/p>\n
The 30-second ad, which features images of oil spewing from BP PLC’s Deepwater Horizon rig, accuses Republicans of “working to gut the bipartisan Clean Air Act” and “giving Big Oil a bailout.” Worst of all, the ad says, “Senator Brown is considering voting ‘yes.'”<\/p>\n
Brown and Maine’s Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins are the three Republican senators who have not yet publicly staked out a position on the resolution. The remaining 38 GOP senators are co-sponsoring Murkowski’s legislation.<\/p>\n
Brown’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.<\/p>\n
Americans United for Change is running similar ads in Maine targeting Collins and a national ad running on Washington, D.C., cable channels during the run-up to tomorrow’s vote (E&ENews PM, June 7).<\/p>\n
Special thanks to Richard Charter<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Robin Bravender, E&E reporter Industry and left-leaning advocacy groups are waging last-minute lobbying efforts as the Senate prepares to vote tomorrow on a measure aimed at blocking federal climate regulations. A coalition of 24 industry groups sent a letter yesterday to members of the Senate urging them to support a resolution from Sen. Lisa Murkowski … Continue reading E&E: Lobbying heats up as Murkowski resolution hits home stretch<\/span>