This week, the Senate took up S. 2012, the Energy Policy Modernization Act of 2015. If you've been following NRDC's work on the Senate energy bill, you know that we have been encouraged by the attempt at bipartisan cooperation to craft a reasonable bill, but have been disappointed that the bill does not go farther in promoting clean energy and action on climate change. We are particularly concerned that the bill included provisions that would undermine important environmental standards and protections.
In its current form, the bill has improved and at this point we feel the positive provisions are important enough that we do not oppose it. But we think there's work to be done to improve the bill on the floor and, of course, we will work to defeat efforts by opponents of clean energy and environmental protection to attach damaging and poison pill amendments that would cause us to oppose the bill.
We think an improved version of this bill would help create a bipartisan space of cooperation on energy issues that doesn't undermine environmental protections.
Below is the letter we sent to Senate offices outlining our thoughts on the bill and some details on how it can be improved. Over the next week, we will follow closely the Senate's work and will try and make this bill as beneficial for our environment as possible.
http://docs.nrdc.org/legislation/files/leg_16012801a.pdf