US Senate energy panel set to begin debate on bill May 17
Washington (Platts)--10May2005
The US Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will begin debate May 17 on a wide-ranging energy bill that will include a provision allowing natural gas drilling in offshore waters now off-limits to energy development, the chief sponsor of the measure, Sen Pete Domenici (Republican-New Mexico) said Tuesday. A proposal introduced in the Senate earlier this year would allow governors to decide whether to allow gas drilling in their states' offshore waters. Domenici told reporters he is unsure whether his bill would allow governors to "opt in" to allow gas leasing in the Outer Continental Shelf or require them to "opt out" to retain US drilling bans prohibiting lease sales. The moratoria apply to the East and West coasts and the Eastern Gulf of Mexico offshore Florida. Domenici also said Republican and Democratic members have yet to agree on all provisions of the bill's electricity title. Sources have said provisions under debate may include "participant funding"--which involves how costs are assigned for transmission upgrades--a renewable portfolio standard with requirements for more green energy supplies and beefing up federal oversight of utility mergers. "The electricity title is being negotiated. It is not finished yet," Domenici said. "I'm trying very hard to solve it and I think we will." Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman Jim Inhofe (Republican-Oklahoma) Tuesday said he will consider attaching the Clear Skies legislation to the energy bill on the Senate floor, but not if the controversial power plant pollution bill will sink energy legislation. "I would like to move Clear Skies, but not to sacrifice an energy bill," he said. This story was originally published in Platts Electricity Alert http://www.electricityalert.platts.com
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