House+Bill+Number+1590

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My Environmental Bill: The Safe Climate Act of 2007

Bill Number: H.R 1590 (House of Representatives)

Sponsor: Henry Waxman (Democrat)  http://www.henrywaxman.house.gov/bio.htm Status: Introduced

Summary of the bill: This bill freezes US greenhouse gas emissions in the year 2010. Beginning in the year 2011, it cuts emissions by about 2% each year. In the year 2020, it cuts emissions by roughly 5% each year until the year 2050. By the year 2050, emissions will be 80% lower than in the year 1990.The Safe Climate Act of 2007 (H.R. 1590) sets targets and requires the actions that will be necessary to avoid dangerous, irreversible warming of our planet. The Safe Climate Act of 2007 (H.R. 1590) sets targets and requires the actions that will be necessary to avoid dangerous, irreversible warming of our planet. What is the reason for this bill?: This bill targets for a 2% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 2010 until 2050. The legislation is based on what scientists have concluded the USA must do to avoid dangerous, irreversible warming of the planet. Environmental issues are recent. Pollutants have been building up in our atmosphere over time, destroying our ozone layer.
 * __The Environment:__ **

What are the requirements of this bill? This bill requires...  ·  federal agencies (that are relevant) to finalize a rule to carry out the National Academies' recommendations for regulatory action that is needed to reduce atmospheric greenhouse gas concentration.  ·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> the President to submit to Congress a plan for the distribution of emission allowances and the use of proceeds for specified goals, including mitigating the effects of energy cost increases and climate change. <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> ·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> the EPA to ensure that emissions and allowances are accurately tracked, reported, and verified. <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> ·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> The bill directs EPA to set standards for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles that are at least as stringent as the current California standards. EPA must tighten these standards in 2014 and periodically thereafter. <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> ·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> The bill directs the Department of Energy to establish national standards requiring an increasing proportion of electricity to be generated from renewable energy sources, reaching 20% of retail electricity sold in 2020. <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> ·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> The bill directs the Department of Energy to establish national standards requiring utilities to obtain, each year, 1% of their energy supplies through energy efficiency improvements at customer facilities. These savings would accumulate each year through 2020. <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Does this bill amend any other bills? The Safe Climate Act of 2007 amends the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to direct the Secretary of Energy to require an annual increase in the percentage of electric energy generated from renewable sources in 2010 that is sold at the retail level in the United States, and set up end-user savings targets for retail electric energy and natural gas supplies.

Amends the Clean Air Act to direct the EPA to make known that: <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> ·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> targets for a 2% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions each year from 2010-2050 <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> ·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> regulations requiring reductions to meet such targets, including by setting caps on emissions of sources and sectors with the largest emissions or the best opportunities to reduce them, by issuing and authorizing trading of emission allowances, and by imposing penalties for excess emissions. <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">

Bibliography:

Pacifici, Sabrina I. "Waxman Introduces the Safe Climate Act of 2007." beSpacific. 20 Mar. 2007. BeSpacific LLC. 2 Dec. 2008 < http://www.bespacific.com/mt/archives/014322.html#014322 <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">>.

"Environment." World Book. 2007 ed. 2007.

"Environment." Compton's by Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc. 2005 ed. 2005.

GovTrack.us. H.R. 1590--110th Congress (2007): Safe Climate Act of 2007, GovTrack.us (database of federal legislation) < http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h110-1590 <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">> (accessed Dec 4, 2008)

"Representative Henry Waxman." US House of Representatives. 2007. 5 Dec. 2008 < http://www.henrywaxman.house.gov/safeclimate/index.htm <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">>.