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High Prices Make Energy Bill Likely |
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| USA: March 23, 2004 | ||
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SAN ANTONIO, Texas - High energy prices make the passage of a comprehensive energy bill more likely, the chairman of the U.S. House energy and commerce committee said.
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The bill, supported by President Bush, needs the agreement of only two more senators to bring it before the full Senate for consideration, said Rep. Joe Barton, a Texas Republican. "I think the chances are pretty good," Barton said to reporters after a speech to the National Petrochemical and Refiners Association (NPRA). "Most energy prices are near to all-time highs. Sooner or later people are going to say, 'You know, we have a bill that would do something about that."' The final version of the bill has already passed the U.S. House of Representatives. The Republican majority in the Senate is expected to pass it if comes up for a vote. The bill includes a protection for makers of methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) against lawsuits claiming the pollution-reducing petrochemical additive is a defective product. Most states have banned the use of MTBE because it has been found to cause groundwater contamination, leading to lawsuits against refiners. The energy bill would also increase the production of ethanol, a pollution-reducing alcohol made from grain, to 5 billion gallons (22.7 billion liters) a year. NPRA President Bob Slaughter said the pressure of high prices may force Congress to realize that the "energy lite" strategy of breaking the comprehensive bill into smaller parts would take too long. "The quick way is to go back to the comprehensive bill," Slaughter said.
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REUTERS NEWS SERVICE
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