Overnight Energy: GOP steps up climate fight ahead of UN talks

by Timothy Cama and Devin Henry - 11/18/15 5:33 PM ET

HOUSE TEES UP VOTE ON CLIMATE RULE: The House Energy and Commerce Committee on Wednesday approved two resolutions to undo President Obama’s climate rules for power plants.

The resolutions, from Kentucky Republican Rep. Ed Whitfield, would block the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Power Plan rule for existing power plants and another rule for new power sources.

The Clean Power Plan looks to cut emissions from the power sector by 32 percent by 2030. It’s the cornerstone of President Obama’s climate change agenda, and while Democrats say it’s a critical tool for combating climate change, Republicans have warned it could raise electricity prices.

{mosads}”EPA’s rules seek to change fundamentally the way we generate, distribute and consume electricity across the country,” committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.) said.

“These resolutions are ultimately about protecting hard-working people from higher electricity prices, threats to grid reliability, and EPA’s economy-wide energy tax.”

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s office announced Wednesday afternoon that the resolutions will hit the House floor during the week of Nov. 30, or right during the United Nations climate talks in Paris.

President Obama has threatened to veto anything that undoes his power plant rules, though based on the House’s timing, he might have to repeat that pledge while simultaneously telling world leaders that the U.S. is committed to an international climate accord.

The House resolutions are similar to those passed in the Senate on Tuesday. On Wednesday morning, EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy said the vote shows that the administration needs to do more to educate lawmakers on the rules and Obama’s climate change goals.

“The Senate vote yesterday is certainly something I’m going to pay attention to. Nothing Congress does is meaningless,” she said.

“We have to continue to do a better job of explaining to them that everything EPA is doing with this rule and everything else is protecting their kids’ future.”

Read more here.

DEMS FIGHT TAX WRITE-OFF FOR BP: Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.) is leading a charge to try to prevent BP from writing off a large portion of the massive settlement to which it agreed earlier this year.

Out of the $20 billion settlement with the federal and Gulf state governments, BP could likely claim $15.3 billion as a business expense for a $5.35 billion tax savings, Grijalva and other 52 other House Democrats said in a Wednesday letter to Attorney General Loretta Lynch.

“We are concerned that without strict language to the contrary, BP will seek to claim the remaining $15.3 billion as a business expense, displacing the burden of that uncollected revenue onto every other taxpayer while securing a tax windfall north of $5.35 for itself,” they wrote.

The public comment period is still open for the BP settlement, and the Democrats are pushing Lynch to include a provision in the settlement prohibiting tax write-offs for its costs.

COAL HONORS MCCONNELL: The Washington Coal Club gave Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) its “Annual Achievement Award” on Wednesday.

McConnell is a strident ally of his state’s coal industry. He pushed a resolution through the Senate on Tuesday to block President Obama’s climate rule for power plants, which coal interests warn will hurt the industry.

Kentucky Coal Association President Bill Bissett, who presented McConnell with the award, noted his work opposing the Clean Power Plan on Wednesday.

“Those of us who advocate for coal have great confidence in Leader McConnell’s steadfast support and we appreciate greatly his courage and conviction in standing up for coal miners across this country as well as low cost, reliable electricity,” he said in a statement.

McConnell, too, proudly touted his role as Obama’s chief instigator in the so-called “war on coal.”

“I accept this award on behalf of our coal miners and their families as we fight together against the president’s War on Coal Jobs,” he said.

ON TAP THURSDAY I: Democrats on the House Energy and Natural Resources Committee will host a forum on the Paris climate talks. Several foreign ambassadors are scheduled to participate.

ON TAP THURSDAY II: Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) will host a “discussion about climate change” at George Mason University in Arlington.

Rest of Thursday’s agenda …

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will hold a hearing on 13 bills and four nominations.

ICF International will present an event on the climate talks. Bob Perciasepe, the president of the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions and a former EPA deputy administrator, will speak.

AROUND THE WEB:

The U.K. is set to close its coal-fired power plants by 2025 and transition to more gas and nuclear power, Energy Minister Amber Rudd announced Wednesday. The Guardian has more.

Poland, meanwhile, committed Wednesday to keeping coal as its primary energy source, Agence France-Presse reports.

Officials say $1.75 million from an oil spill settlement with ExxonMobil will fund a school conservation program in New York City, the New York Daily News reports.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

Check out Wednesday’s stories …

-Keystone XL developer pulls Nebraska route application
-Oil, gas lobby groups to merge
-Bill to ban microbeads in soap advances in House
-Obama official objects to GOP conservation bill
-October is eighth month to break temperature record in 2015
-House panel approves bills undoing Obama climate rules
-GOP doubtful about Paris climate talks
-EPA head vows to defend climate rules to lawmakers