WASHINGTON — Sens. John Kerry and Joe Lieberman unveiled a long-awaited bill Wednesday that aims to curtail pollution blamed for global warming, reduce oil imports and create millions of energy- related jobs.
The 987-page bill, the product of more than seven months of negotiations and tweaked recently in response to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, also includes new protections for offshore drilling and for the first time would set a price on carbon dioxide emissions produced by coal-fired power plants and other large polluters.
The legislation aims to cut emissions of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping greenhouse gases by 17 percent by 2020 and by more than 80 percent by 2050. Both targets are measured against 2005 levels and are the same as those set by a House bill approved last year.
“We can finally tell the world that America is ready to take back our role as the world’s clean-energy leader,” Kerry, D-Mass., said at a news conference.
