While a variety of groups from utilities to environmental organizations are clamoring for a climate-change bill that can pass the Senate, construction industry sources say prospects for the bill—rolled out on May 12 by Sens. John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Joe Lieberman (I- Conn.)—look slim. They unveiled the 987-page American Power Act without the support of Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who had worked with Kerry and Lieberman for several months to craft a bipartisan bill but who in recent weeks dropped out of the discussions.
Firms that work in the power sector and utilities say a bill like the Kerry-Lieberman package is needed to create more certainty in a market that in recent years has been plagued with a great deal of uncertainty over the looming threat of carbon regulation. But without a single Republican supporting the bill and some Democrats skittish about voting for any bill that would permit offshore drilling, industry sources are skeptical anything can pass this year.