Final Paper Topic: Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act

The Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act (2007) was a bill set forth in the Senate in January 2007, to the 110th Congress. The Act sought to amend the Clean Air Act in order to put in place provisions concerning global warming and reducing emissions of carbon dioxide. The EPA would be responsible for 1) enforcing the reduction of the net level of carbon emissions, 2) requiring that automobiles manufacturers begin to comply with emission standards by 2016, 3) contract with the National Academy of Sciences to study the potential contribution of the non-highway portion of the transportation sector towards meeting the emission reduction goal, 4) require the electric generators meet an emission standard that is not higher than the rate of a new combined cycle natural gas generating unit, and 5) establish a low-carbon generation trading program. (GovTrack.us. S. 309--110th Congress (2007): Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act).

The bill was introduced in order to address the increased concern regarding global warming and the threat that it poses to the public health and welfare of America’s citizens. The United States is noted as one of the largest emitters of greenhouse gases, and therefore the bill sought to address this increasing dilemma. The goal of the bill was to reduce the emissions of the United States significantly which would contribute to stabilizing the global concentrations below 450 parts per million (http://sanders.senate.gov/news/record.cfm?id=269618). The Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act did not pass into legislation, however there are a number of Congress members who continue to support policy to reduce emissions.