Global Warming In the News

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Climate change legislation has stalled in the U.S. Senate, and environmentalists want Democratic Sen. Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico to do something about it.

Several groups pooled their resources to pay for a television advertisement that will start airing Thursday. It applauds Bingaman, New Mexico's senior senator and chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, for the work he has done to promote clean energy and green jobs and points out that he's in a key position as Congress debates the country's energy future.

"He has a position where he can really move and push this forward. A lot of other senators aren't in that position, and we want the people of New Mexico to know that," said Jake Horowitz of Environment New Mexico, one of the groups paying for the six-figure advertising effort.

Horowitz declined to say how much the ad cost.

As energy chairman, Bingaman has introduced a measure to reform offshore drilling and has shepherded through his committee bipartisan legislation aimed at creating green jobs and accelerating the introduction of clean energy technologies in the United States.

Measures aimed at controlling the pollution blamed for climate change, however, are being heard by another committee and are out of his control, his office said Wednesday.

Spokeswoman Jude McCartin said he is well respected within the Senate when it comes to energy issues and is doing what he can to bring members together on energy and climate legislation.

"At this point it's unclear what the majority leader is going to do, and it's unclear what the Senate has the will do, but Senator Bingaman wants to do as much as we can in the area of energy and climate," McCartin told The Associated Press.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said this week an energy bill would be introduced in the final week of July. It's unclear whether that bill will include elements of Bingaman's energy legislation along with a version of the various cap and trade provisions that have stalled in Senate.

"There's always hope and there are different ideas out there," McCartin said.

Prospects for passing a climate bill this year still remain dim. Most Republicans and some Democrats see the legislation as effectively raising taxes and hurting the economy.

Horowitz said he believes a bill can be passed but that it must be comprehensive legislation that spans clean energy development, as well as puts a price on carbon emissions.

Getting the votes for such legislation is where the quiet, measured senator from New Mexico comes in, Horowitz said.

"Bingaman has the ability to cross the aisle and work with his colleagues to act on this," he said. "The most important thing is that Americans want action on climate and energy legislation, not just Band-Aid solutions. Anything less than a comprehensive solution is unacceptable."

To see the ad, please follow this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYdhp_lFtVk