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Reid wants to start energy debate next week

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid wants to start debate on an energy bill next week.  But first he must come up with a bill for consideration.

It’s not clear if provisions from existing energy and climate bills will be put together into one measure.  Several senators want carbon pricing included in the energy bill. Senators John Kerrey and Joe Lieberman are trying to broker an agreement between electric utilities and environmental groups on a cap covering emissions from power plants.

For his part, Reid says the bill would address the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, clean energy and job creation—and will also include a tax title and language on pollution from power plants.  That last provision is seen as a limit on greenhouse gases, although Reid has avoided us of the word “cap”.