Climate Bill Whimpers, Collapses

Last year, comprehensive climate and energy legislation was well on its way to becoming law. After a version passed the House, pundits were concerned mostly with whether it would be passed in time for the Copenhagen climate talks last December. But Senators balked, and a drive this summer to put some sort of bill together has stalled.

Yesterday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev) threw up his hands, giving up on a comprehensive bill for now in favor of a narrow energy bill without any limit on greenhouse gas emissions or regulations to require renewable energy. What’s left are measures to hold BP accountable for the oil spill, to invest in natural gas trucks (the pet project of oil and natural gas tycoon T. Boone Pickens), to improve home energy efficiency, and to restore money to the Land and Water Conservation fund.

Reid says he’ll still work on a comprehensive bill, but it looks like it’s out of play for the year.