By VICTORIA BOATMAN
For years Americans have waited for the government to address concerns about the environment.
Congress is now looking to pass a bill that will help reduce pollution.
Senators John Kerry, Lindsey Graham and Joe Lieberman are about to propose new climate and energy legislation that is projected to help bring about a long awaited bipartisan consensus.
“We need some kind of regulation, and if it comes down to making laws to regulate it, then so be it,” biology and AP Environmental Studies teacher Wendy Ernest said.
The bill would put limits on pollution as well as give businesses incentives to encourage environmentally friendly practices to help reduce CO2 output.
The purpose of the bill is to get companies to turn away from non-renewable resources such as fossil fuels and use renewable resources such as wind and solar power.
“I feel the government should also focus on getting companies to recycle more,” sophomore Holly Smith said.
The bill, originally set to be unveiled in late April, has now been delayed. This was due to Graham’s removing his support for the bill, because he felt the introduction of the immigration bill was a “cynical political ploy.”
As long as Graham feels the immigration bill is something congress is seriously considering passing, he will refuse backing the climate bill.
Kerry said he has no intention of moving on without Graham, but Kerry has recently gained pressure from fellow senators and the Obama administration to get the bill through.
“I don’t think [the climate bill] should be our major concern right now. There are other things that need more attention, like the economy,” senior Benjamin Romulus said.
The climate bill has been a legislative goal since the beginning of the Obama administration. Democrats are hoping to keep seats in both the House and Senate, but they are projected to be losing seats to the Grand Old Party in the midterm elections.
The climate bill has been an ongoing goal since June 2009 when the House passed a version of it known as the Economy-wide Pollution Control bill.
After the House passed the bill, it met resistance in the Senate due to the cap and trade system, a government-controlled system offering incentives to companies that reduce their amount of pollutants.
Those Congressmen who did not vote for it disagree with this approach because of its complications, such as the ability of companies who produce too much pollution to buy permits from other companies who emit less pollution.
These permits would be traded on a regulated market, which would create a price on carbon. Another option proposed is simply letting companies regulate themselves.
“The government should be in charge of enacting a climate bill because private companies wouldn’t be responsible enough to regulate themselves,” freshman Anthony Reining said.
Ernest feels the best policy for combating pollution is education on environmental issues.
“I think there should be some lessons threaded from kindergarten through high school about reducing waste and actually have kids involved in some projects so they can begin to appreciate the need to reduce our waste,” Ernest said.
Ernest is the Environmental Club sponsor, which runs the school-recycling program. The program has recycled nearly 3,000 pounds of paper, which has saved 4.27 cubic yards in the landfill.
For the Senate, Lindsey Graham is the 60th vote that is needed to pass the bill. If Graham does not give his approval, the bill may expire and congress will have to start over next year.
Other alternatives include congress approving a slimmed-down version that would please both parties, but have a minimal effect on the environment.
“It’s too bad the environment has to take a back seat to political gains. I understand the political gains, but there needs to be a push for the environment,” Ernest said.