FEDS POSTPONE FEDERAL ENERGY CONFERENCE … AGAIN

Congress postponed its scheduled Energy Conference meeting again last week, again delaying its efforts to have a federal energy bill delivered before the end of the year. Cited as reasons were failed negotiations between the parties.

Energy Conference Chair Pete Dominici gave many examples of why negotiations about the meeting are not going as well as anticipated in a statement of his own. Among the many issues under debate were:

• the reform tax on ethanol
  
• whether tax credits to encourage alternative energy production should be tradeable
  
• whether tax laws should encourage construction of new, cleaner coal plants and environmental upgrades to existing plants
  
• amendments to the Clean Air Act
  

Both Domenici and House Energy & Commerce Chair Billy Tauzin (R-LA) remain committed to getting new and comprehensive energy legislation developed and to the floor as soon as possible. Citing the need for immediate action, Domenici said, “I will be patient. But how long should the country wait?”