Subject: Barton Subcommittee Passes Energy Bill Without Electricity Amendments
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Date: Thu, 12 Jul 2001 12:36:00 -0700 (PDT)

Late tonight, the Barton Subcommittee passed an energy policy package 
(without any electricity provisions other than those related to conservation) 
on a bipartisan vote of 29-1.  The subcommittee approved an amendment by Mrs. 
Wilson to conduct a national assessment and inventory of possible renewable 
energy projects.

During consideration of the bill, several amendments of interest and concern 
to Enron were offered and withdrawn; they are likely to be offered when the 
full Energy and Commerce Committee meets to consider the package next Tuesday 
and Wednesday.  The amendments in this category are:

1. Mr. Waxman has an amendment he called the "blackout and price gouging 
prevention amendment" that would require FERC to modify its June 19 price 
mitigation order within 15 days of enactment to impose cost-of-service based 
rates (with a rate of return of 15 percent) if an entity is found to be 
withholding power from the grid during an emergency.  The cost-of-service 
rates would thereafter apply to all of the offending entity's sales in the 
Western U.S.  Several of us were rounding up opponents to the amendment when 
it was clear he was going to offer it and before he decided to withdraw it 
until full committee.  We will continue those efforts before the full 
committee vote.

2. Mr. Ganske has an amendment on net metering that he said would promote 
wind in Iowa and other renewables (he may wait until an electricity bill 
rather than full committee on this bill).

3. Mr. Shadegg has an amendment to exempt natural gas pipelines from the 
requirements of the National Registry of Historic Places.  He said that 
currently this process holds up much needed pipeline expansions that are FERC 
approved.

4. Mr. Waxman has an amendment that would require the President to develop 
and implement a plan to achieve the greenhouse gas reductions called for in a 
UN agreement that President George Bush ("41") agreed to in 1992 (reducing 
these emissions to 1990 levels).

Chairman Barton indicated that the Subcommittee will take up an electric 
restructuring bill either later this month or early in September, depending 
on how long it takes to process this first energy package in the full 
committee and in the full House.