Senate Panel Sprints To Finish Energy Bill

"The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will attempt to finish marking up comprehensive energy legislation this week, including a renewable electricity standard, if Chairman Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) and panel members can work out an agreement by Thursday.

Tomorrow, the committee will mark up provisions on nuclear waste, cybersecurity and a refined petroleum products reserve. Thursday, the panel could take up the renewable electricity standard, or RES, as well as remaining provisions on building efficiency, oil and gas development on public lands, carbon capture and sequestration, and energy market regulations.

Last week, Bingaman said that he had reached a "general agreement" on a RES, which requires utilities to supply increasing amounts of power from sources like wind, solar and biomass, but added he was not ready for an official announcement."

Katherine Ling reports for Greenwire in the New York Times May 18, 2009.