Doggett: The D.C. Perspective
The lowdown from the Beltway
By Katherine Gregor, Fri., June 19, 2009
He hopes the pending climate bill will be structured to reward early-to-renewable utilities such as Austin Energy. "While Austin may see some benefit from its energy efficiency and alternative energy research provisions," he observed, "I believe [the currently drafted bill in committee] ultimately suffers from an overdependence on giving away free allowances, or 'pollute free' cards, to those responsible for so much of our carbon pollution problem." Doggett has introduced the Safe Markets Development Act, which he said "proposes an innovative auction mechanism to prevent carbon market speculation and manipulation." He's also authored the Green Transit Act, which "mandates that all metropolitan planning organizations follow Senator Kirk Watson's lead at [the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization] by taking into consideration greenhouse-gas emissions in preparing transportation plans."
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