Apparent Bush victory may give new life to energy bill: Sources

Washington (Platts)--3Nov2004

President Bush's apparent election victory is likely to encourage
congressional Republicans to mount another push for a comprehensive energy
bill either during a lame-duck session this month, or when the new Congress
with a stronger Republican majority convenes in January, energy industry
sources said Wednesday. With Republicans expected to gain at least three seats
in the Senate and a handful in the House, sources said the majority will push
hard for a broad energy bill. Sources from both parties agreed, however, that
the Senate margin is not filibuster-proof and the issue that stopped the
energy bill since last year--liability protection for makers of gasoline
additive MTBE--could still be a roadblock. 

Democrats "will rally like hell" to keep the majority from trying to move the
energy bill in the lame duck session, said one industry source. If if that
happens, Republicans "will be back with a vengeance next year with more of
their agenda," including opening the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge and
support for fossil and nuclear power.

Although the Bush administration has proposed regulations on power plant
emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and mercury, sources said the
White House may try another run at Congress with its "Clear Skies" legislation
to do the same with less threat of lawsuits that are expected to tie up the
regulations for years. Key Republican lawmakers who declined to take up the
president's bill last year or this year may be ready to try again since the
elections are behind them, said one industry representative. But another
industry lobbyist noted that there may be no significant change on the
environmental committees. "It is still very tough," he said. "Senate
environmental issues don't break down cleanly on party lines. It's going to be
very, very hard to move any environmental bill."

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