Democrats have abandoned their effort to dramatically cut the nation’s greenhouse gases and instead have rolled a few minor carbon-reduction measures into a bill that would reform regulations on oil and gas drilling.
While we did not support the cap-and-trade bill Democrats narrowly passed through the House last summer, we do support the goal of reducing greenhouse gases. So it’s disappointing to see that the Election Day concerns of some nervous Democrats have silenced that debate.
The so-called CLEAR Act, which could be debated in the House as early as Friday, includes revamped offshore drilling regulations and nixes the ridiculously low $75 million liability cap for spills. The act also would create “clean energy” jobs by investing in research and provide $5 billion in incentives for those who weatherize their homes, purchase energy-efficient appliances and automobiles that run on alternative fuels.
The CLEAR Act also wisely reorganizes the erstwhile Mineral Management Service to better focus the agency as a true watchdog and would deny drilling rights to companies that have had more than 10 deaths within seven years. And though we hope lawmakers succeed in reforms that prevent another Deepwater Horizon-style tragedy, we also urge Colorado and Western lawmakers to fight for those provisions that help protect our lands, too.
A key provision within the CLEAR Act would finally allow the $900 million Land and Water Conservation Fund to be fully funded so it can work as intended.
The fund, which is supported by royalties charged to oil and gas leases, is meant to protect parkland, open space and agricultural lands. But all too often lawmakers raid it for other spending priorities.
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar tells us the fund could go a long way toward protecting and expanding public lands in much the same way Colorado uses proceeds from the lottery to protect parks and ranches and open space here.
Of course, dedicating nearly $1 billion a year in this way means that nearly that same amount will come out of other programs. At a time when the country desperately needs to get its financial house in order, we hope Congress finds a way to backfill that money without increasing deficit spending.
The CLEAR Act also would cut the use of so-called “categorical exclusions,” which have in the past improperly limited reasonable environmental review of future oil and gas leases. The key word in that last sentence is “reasonable.”
Lawmakers need to make sure the oil and gas industry can continue to succeed in Colorado while also making sure our beloved public lands are protected.
Democrats missed their chance to deal with the signature issue of cutting greenhouse gases, and the CLEAR Act isn’t much of a compromise. But its reforms are needed and we urge Congress to implement them.
