Several past General Assemblies have called on the U.S. and other governments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In Restoring Creation for Ecology and Justice, a report adopted by the 202nd General Assembly in 1990, commissioners called on the United States, as the consumer of nearly a quarter of the world’s energy, to “take the lead in reducing its own combustion of fossil fuels and shifting to renewable sources of energy which do not contribute to the atmospheric buildup of carbon dioxide.” In 1998, the 210th General Assembly urged the United States to ratify the Kyoto Protocol, which calls on nations to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, that Assembly urged all nations “to develop policies on renewable energy, energy and fuel efficiency, and reforestation which will reduce their emissions.” How can Presbyterians act to support these calls to restore creation?

As a promising step in addressing the issue of global warming, Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Joseph Lieberman (D-CT) introduced legislation this January that is comprehensive and market-based and aims to reduce global warming pollution in all aspects of the U.S. economy. The Climate Stewardship Act, S. 139, would set a nationwide cap limiting pollution from major sources in the industrial, commercial, electricity, and transportation fuel sectors, which together are responsible for nearly 80 percent of U.S. emissions. Companies must reduce their own emissions, or purchase emissions allowances from others. Starting in 2010, emissions from these sectors would be capped at 2000 levels. In 2016, the cap would be reduced to 1990 levels.

The legislation would allow emission trading, through which companies that achieve more greenhouse gas reductions than required could sell those excess reductions to other companies to help them meet their commitments. Many view this market-based method as an approach that will encourage innovation and reduce the financial cost to industry of meeting emission reduction requirements. In addition, companies can earn credits to offset their emissions through international investments and through projects that use natural systems to remove carbon from the atmosphere and store it in trees or soils (including forest regeneration projects).

S. 139 would also make industry more accountable in terms of emissions standards. If the legislation becomes law, the electricity generation, industrial, and commercial economic sectors would have to report their emissions to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and oil companies would have to report their gasoline or oil sales and the associated greenhouse gases that are emitted when oil is used. The bill would exempt households, farms, and small sources from reporting emissions. For more details about S. 139, log onto thomas.loc.gov and enter “S. 139” in the bill number box.

S. 139 could make its way through the legislative process as a stand-alone bill, or it could be offered as an amendment to another piece of legislation. E-mail, call, or write your Senators and urge them to support S. 139 as an integral step in addressing the issue of global warming.

Legislative Update

Energy Legislation: In the last session of Congress, the House and Senate failed to come to an agreement on U.S. energy policy. In last year’s debate, points of contention included whether to require utilities to use more solar, wind, and other renewable sources of power to generate electricity and whether to allow drilling in the Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR).

This year, Members of Congress are again considering energy legislation and continue to struggle to overcome disagreement. On April 11th, the House passed an omnibus energy bill, HR 6, by a vote of 247-175. On April 29th, the Senate Energy and Public Works Committee passed its version, S. 14, by a vote of 13 to 10, with only one Democrat, Senator Mary Landrieu, D-LA, voting with the Republican majority. Debate on S. 14 began on the Senate floor on May 6th, but is now stalled, in part because other issues (defense appropriations, tax cuts, and prescription drug benefits) are taking precedence in the Senate chamber. Debate on S. 14 is expected to continue throughout the summer and may come up for a final vote sometime this fall.

The House-passed version would allow drilling in ANWR and would more heavily promote fossil fuel development. As the Washington Post noted, the Senate Energy and Public Works Committee’s legislation would delay a plan by federal energy regulators to standardize the access and management of electric power transmission lines across the country. In addition, it calls for federal support for the construction of six nuclear power plants, incentives to encourage natural gas development in the Gulf of Mexico, and loan guarantees for the Alaska natural gas pipeline project. The Senate Committee did not deal with some of the most contentious issues of the legislation, including climate change and ANWR, though as an amendment to the budget resolution, the full Senate already voted in March to oppose drilling in ANWR. The vote was 52-48.

Suggested Action: Call on the Senate to work to develop a more just and sustainable national energy policy that fully incorporates our principles of environmental justice, stewardship and intergenerational responsibility.

Clean Air: In February 2002, President Bush unveiled his Clear Skies initiative, which calls for the reduction in power plant pollution through reduced emissions of three air pollutants: nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and mercury. The President’s initiative was introduced in the House of Representatives by Representative Joe Barton (R-TX) as HR 999 and in the Senate by Senator James Inhofe (R-OK) as S. 485. Both bills are pending in committee.

Concerned that President’s proposal did not go far enough in reducing power plant pollution, many legislators have called for legislation that would regulate carbon dioxide in addition to the three pollutants called for in the President’s plan. Senators Jim Jeffords (I-VT), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Joe Lieberman (D-CT) reintroduced the “Clean Power Act,” S. 366, this January. Representatives Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY) will soon reintroduce a companion bill, the “Clean Smokestacks Act,” in the House. Both the Clean Power Act and the Clean Smokestacks Act would regulate the four pollutants listed above, including carbon dioxide.

In 2002, the 214th General Assembly of the PC(USA) passed a resolution On Cleaning Up Power Plant Pollution which called on Presbyterians to urge government officials to support federal policies and multipollutant legislation that would in the most cost-effective way:
enforce current clean air laws by federal and state governments;
resist efforts to abolish or undercut established clean air programs;
enact new clean air laws for power plants that will substantially reduce pollutants that cause smog, acid rain, respiratory disease, mercury contamination, and global warming;
end the “grandfather” loophole that exempts older coal-fired plants; and
encourage federal funding of technologies that will facilitate and reduce the costs of these recommendations.

Suggested Action: Contact your Members of Congress and urge them to support legislation that will substantially reduce pollutants that cause smog, acid rain, respiratory disease, mercury contamination, and global warming. Call on them to support the Clean Power Act (S.366).

Sample Letter:

Dear Senator __________:

As a Presbyterian concerned about protecting and preserving God’s creation, I am writing to urge you to support S. 139, the Climate Stewardship Act, sponsored by Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Joseph Lieberman (D-CT). This legislation is comprehensive and market-based and aims to reduce global warming pollution in all aspects of the U.S. economy.

S. 139 would set a nationwide cap limiting pollution from major sources in the industrial, commercial, electricity, and transportation fuel sectors, which together are responsible for nearly 80 percent of U.S. emissions. Companies must reduce their own emissions, or purchase emissions allowances from others. Starting in 2010, emissions from these sectors would be capped at 2000 levels. In 2016, the cap would be reduced to 1990 levels.

S. 139 would allow emission trading, through which companies that achieve more greenhouse gas reductions than required could sell those excess reductions to other companies to help them meet their commitments.

The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) has repeatedly called on the United States and other countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to develop policies on renewable energy, energy and fuel efficiency, and reforestation which will reduce their emissions. I urge you to respond to that call.

Sincerely,
YOUR NAME
YOUR CITY, YOUR STATE

General Assembly Policy:

The 210th General Assembly (1998) addressed the complicated and significant issue of global climate change by approving Commissioners' Resolution 98-5 which called for the United States to ratify the protocol negotiated in Kyoto which seeks to have the U.S. and other industrialized countries reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, and urged all nations to develop policies on renewable energy, energy and fuel efficiency, and reforestation which will reduce their emissions. [This resolution reminded the Assembly of the 1990 policy statement, "Restoring Creation for Ecology and Justice," and pointed to issues raised at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, and the commitment on scheduled reductions of greenhouse gasses negotiated in Kyoto, Japan in 1997.]

The 210th General Assembly (1998) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.):
1. Urge[s] the government of the United States to ratify the protocol negotiated in Kyoto which seeks to have the U.S. and other industrialized countries reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, and urges all nations to develop policies on renewable energy, energy and fuel efficiency, and reforestation which will reduce their emissions;
2. Urge[s] developing nations to negotiate targets and timetable for reductions of greenhouse gases;
3. Urge[s] Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) congregations and institutions to pursue energy efficiency and conservation in their buildings and property; and
4. Commend[s] church organizations and individuals which have worked diligently since the 202nd General Assembly (1990) policy statement was adopted to promote caring for God's creation, and particularly for addressing global climate change. (Minutes, 1998, p. 740)