Number: RL34018
Title: Air Quality: Multi-Pollutant Legislation in the 110th Congress
Authors: Larry Parker and John Blodgett, Resources, Science, and Industry Division 
Abstract: In the 110th Congress, five bills have been introduced that would impose multipollutant controls on utilities. They are all four-pollutant proposals that include carbon dioxide. S. 1168 and S. 1177 are revised versions of S. 2724, introduced in the 109th Congress. S. 1201 and S. 1554 are expanded and revised versions of S. 150, introduced in the 109th Congress, while H.R. 3989 is a new proposal. All of these bills involve some form of emission caps, beginning in the 2009-2012 time frame, with all but S. 1554 including a second phase in 2013-2015 (CO2 only for H.R. 3989). They would employ a tradeable credit program to implement the SO2, NOx, and CO2 caps; all but H.R. 3989 permit plant-wide averaging in complying with the Hg requirements. The provisions concerning SO2, NOx, and Hg in the 110th Congress bills are generally more stringent than the comparable provisions of S. 131 of the 109th Congress. It is difficult to compare the CO2 caps contained in these bills with the Administration's proposal concerning CO2 - both because the Administration's proposal is voluntary rather than mandatory and because it is broader (covering all greenhouse gas emissions rather than just utility CO2 emissions).
Pages: 13
Date: February 11, 2008