WATCHING GOVERNMENT: The Dingell energy plan

Sept. 3, 2007
As Labor Day 2007 approached, the most persistent question within Washington, DC’s energy community was what Rep. John D. Dingell (D-Mich.) is planning.

As Labor Day 2007 approached, the most persistent question within Washington, DC’s energy community was what Rep. John D. Dingell (D-Mich.) is planning. The fiercely independent Energy and Natural Resources Committee chairman applauded as the US House passed its energy bill. But it was apparent that the committee in general, and Dingell in particular, have more to say.

Unlike others who have taken positions demanding aggressive carbon emission reductions and alternative energy research and development, Dingell has remained relatively quiet-publicly. In discussions behind the scenes with the House’s Democratic leadership, he apparently has maintained his reputation as a tough negotiator.

It’s generally assumed that Dingell, who has held his seat for more than 50 years, knows how Congress works and what it will take to pass new energy legislation. His support is crucial, and his opinions matter.

So far, the only public indication of what he is thinking about upcoming energy legislation is his Aug. 24 breakfast address to the American Jewish Committee’s Detroit Chapter. “The issue of global climate change, and its effect on our national energy policies, is critical,” he maintained.

‘Just the beginning’

Dingell said the House’s most recent energy bill was a critical first step with energy efficiency provisions aimed at removing 10.4 billion tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by the end of 2030. “This is just the beginning,” he said.

“This fall, I intend to develop a comprehensive, mandatory, economy-wide program to move us further toward the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 60-80% by 2050. My own judgment is that we are going to have to adopt a cap-and-trade system and some form of carbon emission fee to achieve the reductions we need.”

Dingell said his cap-and-trade scheme would use the acid rain trading program which was part of the 1990 Clean Air Act amendments, and not the European approach to controlling greenhouse gases, as a model. He also plans to introduce a bill to tax carbon and petroleum products when Congress returns. “Properly addressing climate change requires us to address the issue of consumption. We do that by making consumption more expensive,” he explained.

Includes gasoline tax

Dingell said his proposal would “impose a stiff tax on carbon, increase the tax on gasoline, and remove the mortgage interest deduction on ‘McMansions’-homes over 3,000 sq ft.” He added that effective energy legislation needs to address motor vehicles and fuels, nuclear power’s role, coal’s future under carbon constraints, and other issues.

Like many of his past proposals, this one won’t be popular. The idea of increasing the federal gasoline tax to fight global warming, for instance, will be even harder to sell than raising it to replace faulty highway bridges.

Dingell appeared undaunted. “I have never introduced legislation with the intent of seeing it fail. I do not intend to start now,” he declared.