Fresh Loaf

Our federal overlords are currently mulling climate change legislation that aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, thus reducing the impact of global warming. (They’re doing it for the children, ya skeptics.) Some carbon belchers — as well as some Republicans — aren’t thrilled about the bill.

According to a study reported by E&E, a subscription-based energy industry and policy publication, Atlanta-based Southern Co. would be hardest hit if the legislation passes. The article’s only available to subscribers, but here’s a snippet:

Atlanta-based Southern Co. will suffer most from a federal carbon cap-and-trade system, facing $393 million in costs to comply with legislation to curb emissions of greenhouse gases, according to a new study by Point Carbon, a carbon market information firm. Two other energy producers, American Electric Power and Duke Energy, round out the top three firms in the nation facing the most risk, with those two companies expecting to incur costs of $252 million and $125 million, respectively, Point Carbon analysts said.

In an attempt to flesh out the “winners and losers” of federal cap and trade, analysts zeroed in on 18 companies that are expected to represent 40 percent of any future U.S. market in emissions allowances. Southern Co. is characterized as the worst off, while Chicago-based Exelon Corp. is seen as the best off. Point Carbon believes Exelon, the nation’s biggest nuclear power producer, could actually see net revenues of $1.7 billion from the sale of its surplus allowances.

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Much like its subsidiary Georgia Power did under the Gold Dome with its controversial Plant Vogtle bill earlier this year, Atlanta-based Southern Co. has cranked up production in its lobbyist factory and ordered more than 60 well-dressed foot soldiers to march through the halls of Congress.

Their mission: Twist lawmakers’ arms about the global warming bill that last week narrowly passed the House and is on its way to the Senate.

From the Center for Public Integrity:

Southern Company, the nation’s largest electric power generator, also had the largest force of lobbyists among the hundreds of businesses and interest groups that were seeking to influence the landmark climate change legislation that just passed the House.

With 63 lobbyists, the Atlanta-based energy giant had nearly twice as many climate lobbyists as any other company or organization, according to registration statements filed with the Senate Office of Public Records for the first quarter of 2009. (The second quarter filings won’t be available for a few weeks.) Eleven of Southern’s climate representatives were in-house, while the rest came from a dozen different lobbying shops.

It’s for good reason, too. The center reports that “more than 80 percent of the 200 million megawatt hours of electricity [Southern Co.'s] plants generate annually is fired by fossil fuel — the main source of greenhouse gases.” Should the bill pass, it could greatly impact Southern Co.’s — and in the process, your — bottom line.

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The U.S. House narrowly passed the cap-and-trade bill late Friday, and it didn’t take long for Georgia’s own Congressman Paul Broun, R-Flat Earth, to be singled out as the nuttiest of the naysayers.

Why, you ask? Because of statements like this, made from the well:

“The idea of human-induced global climate change is one of the greatest hoaxes perpetrated out of the scientific community.”

So, Nobel Prize-winning economist and NYT columnist Paul Krugman, what was your take on Broun’s remarks?

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The U.S. House of Representatives today passed the Waxman-Markey bill, a piece of legislation aimed at curbing global warming through energy-efficiency standards, clean energy technologies and a cap-and-trade system.

And despite the bill’s good intentions, not everyone’s exactly thrilled with what it contains.

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The U.S. House of Representatives has begun debating one of the most monumental energy and environmental bills it’s ever considered.

The legislation, the so-called Waxman-Markey bill, is a measure to help curb global warming by pushing for more energy efficiency, renewable energy standards, and limiting carbon emissions from industries and utilities. Its most controversial provision includes placing a cap-and-trade policy in which carbon emissions could be bought and sold. The Associated Press has a concise rundown of the bill.

Environmentalists have heralded the bill as a necessity at a time when climate experts say action must be taken within years. The Sierra Club has its list of its advantages — as well as what could be improved — on its website. The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy applauded lawmakers for its efforts, but said the cap-and-trade policy could essentially create a polluters’ market.

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Two more utilities have backed out of a coalition that wants to build a proposed coal-fired power plant in Washington County, Ga.

From the Macon Telegraph:

Electric cooperatives representing half the stake in a proposed coal-fired power plant in Middle Georgia have pulled out of the deal, electric membership corporations confirmed Tuesday.

The $2.1 billion Plant Washington project is being developed for a site eight miles north of Sandersville by Power4Georgians, which originally consisted of 10 partner EMCs. The two with the largest stakes, Jackson and GrayStone Power, have pulled out, as have the smaller Excelsior and Diverse Power.

All the cooperatives that have stepped away from the plant cited uncertainty about future federal regulation of carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fired plants, which seems eminent.

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The four EMCs that withdrew represented 50 percent to 55 percent of the total stake in the plant, said Chip Stewart with Cookerly Public Relations, which represents Power4Georgians.

The Telegraph has a thorough report as to why the EMCs are leaving the project. Check it out.

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Two Georgia utilities have backed out of a coalition that wants to build a  coal-fired power plant in Washington County, Ga.

GreyStone Power and Excelsior Electric Membership Corporation’s exit from the $2.2 billion project now leaves eight investors, all EMCs, to pay for the 850 MW plant.

From the AJC:

Led by Cobb EMC, the project was a departure for the state’s electric cooperatives. Co-ops distribute power in Georgia, but had not built a large-scale generating plant before.

GreyStone cited an uncertain regulatory environment in Washington for the decision.

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Dean Alford, a spokesman for the coalition, said the remaining co-ops are committed to the project. In a statement, the coalition said Georgia’s future energy needs can’t be met without coal.

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There was some confusion last week about a recent Brookings Institution study that calculated the carbon footprints of 100 metropolitan areas in the United States. Mainly, it revolved around the news that metro Atlanta had shown improvement in 2000-2005 and actually lessened its impact on the environment whereas other metropolitan areas did not. This was surprising because the region hasn’t expanded its public transit system, made sweeping advances in energy-efficiency, or seen drastic changes in land-use planning.

After the jump, view the methodology with emphasis added.

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While perusing the job ads in The Economist — I think I’d make a fine general director for Doctors Without Borders, thank you very much — I stumbled upon the latest appearance of our fair state’s woes in a major publication. In its usual fashion, the anonymous author(s) ends the piece with a view into the future, and offers a subject I haven’t seen broached in news reports about the drought.

The weather forecasters aren’t offering much solace, either, predicting a warmer and drier winter than normal for the south-east. As for the longer term, the fear is that global warming will make droughts like these more common.

Complex issue. But one worth examining.

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