Democrats = Enviornmental R&D

US Congress' climate to spend

Richard Simon, Washington
August 22, 2007

REFLECTING a shift in priorities under the Democratic majority, US Congress is moving to spend as much as $US6.7 billion ($A8.4 billion) next financial year to combat global warming, an increase of nearly one-third from this year.

House appropriations bills call for about $US2 billion in new spending on initiatives aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and oil dependency, significantly expanding the budgets for new and existing research initiatives.

While legislation to raise car fuel efficiency standards and cap emissions from power plants has been slower-moving — because of resistance from some members of Congress — Democrats have turned to the budget to advance their environmental priorities by increasing spending on lower-profile programs.

But that will probably set up a showdown between Congress and President George Bush, who wants to spend less on climate change initiatives.

The White House budget office, which has complained about excessive spending in the overall appropriations bills, noted that Mr Bush's budget provided for a 3 per cent increase in spending for climate change activities.

Members of Congress from both parties also see the public's heightened interest in climate change and energy security as an opportunity to steer federal money to their states.

Money has been set aside for scores of home-state research initiatives and construction projects.
"Green is becoming very fashionable," said a Republican congressman from Ohio, David Hobson, who secured $US500,000 for a geothermal demonstration project at Ohio Wesleyan University.
"I think members are going to be challenged in their district," he said, referring to how they respond to concerns about climate change and US dependence on foreign oil.

Adam Schiff, a California Democrat, got $US500,000 for a fuel-cell project by Superprotonic, a Pasadena company started by California Institute of Technology scientists.

"America needs to wean itself off of foreign oil," Mr Schiff said in a statement. "This is as much a national security imperative as it is an environmental one. And federal support for innovative new technologies is part of the answer."

Some of the largest increases are in the bill that funds the Department of Energy.

The House provided about $US1.9 billion for energy efficiency and renewable energy programs, about 52 per cent more than the Administration requested.

Just two years ago, under the Republican-controlled Congress, the programs received about $US1.2 billion. The Senate has yet to complete its spending bills, but its appropriations committee has recommended about $US1.7 billion for energy efficiency and renewable energy programs.

Environmentalists welcome the increased spending but say more pollution regulation is crucial.
"Those spending measures are no substitute for better fuel economy standards and tough caps on greenhouse gas emissions," said Frank O'Donnell of Clean Air Watch.

Some of the projects are the result of unusual alliances between members looking out for home-state interests and those seeking to reduce pollution. Those in coal-producing areas have been among the strongest supporters of increased funding for projects to capture carbon dioxide from coal-fired power plants, seeing it as a way to preserve the coal industry.

Critics say some projects may be worthy, including energy research initiatives, but others are merely classic pork-barrel spending, particularly construction projects that have been touted to Congress as green.