Senate Rejects 'Greenhouse Gas' Curbs in Energy Bill Debate

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he Senate Wednesday approved a measure avoiding mandatory reductions of so-called “greenhouse gases” and boosted support for cleaner energy sources, news services reported.

The Senate also agreed to conduct an inventory of offshore oil and gas resources that some senators said could lead to more drilling in coastal waters now off- limits to energy development, the Associated Press reported.

It also voted to allow the U.S. government to sue the OPEC oil cartel on antitrust grounds, Reuters reported.

That measure was added to wide-sweeping energy legislation by a voice vote and would give authority to the Department of Justice or Federal Trade Commission to sue the cartel, Reuters said.

Republicans backed an amendment by Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) that would rely on voluntary industry measures to slow the growth of carbon dioxide through expansion of “private-public partnerships” to develop ways to produce energy with lower carbon emissions, AP reported.

The amendment was approved 66-29 and inserted into the energy legislation that Senate leaders hope to finish this week, AP said.

Senators later began debate on a more ambitious climate-change measure that would require industry and power companies to reduce heat-trapping emissions — mainly carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels — to levels they were five years ago by 2010.

A vote on that proposal, offered by Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.) was scheduled for Wednesday, though was given slim chance of being approved, AP said.