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8A Page 5 Administration's proposal.The extensions wouid provide$41 billion in 201 Q and another$20.5 billion in 2011 but no substantive changes to current transportation programs,whereas the White House pian included a request for additional funding to reform transportatfon program operafion and analysis over the course of the extension.Specifically,the plan called for$300 million for improving state and metropolitan planning organization project evaluation capacity and$10 million for improving project assessment toois.The plan also cal(ed for increased focus on regional access and livabi[ity to encourage greater linkage of transportation, housing and land use. Climate Protection Senators working on climate protection will continue in September to finalize the details of their proposed legislation.Senate Environment and Pubiic Works Committee Chair Barbara Boxer(D- CA)revealed iast week that her Committee'is delaying its introduction of a cfimate protection blll. It was originally schedufed to be introduced on Sept.8 Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid(D-NV) indicated that he would bring the Senate's climate bill to the floor for debate early in the week of Sept.28. A late September introduction of the bill would be followed in October with hearings and markups by the six Senate committees with jurisdiction over the legislation. Those committees include: • Senate Agriculture; • Nutrition,and Forestry;Commerce,Science,and Transportation; • Energy and Natural Resources; • Environment and Public Works;and • Finance and Foreign Relations. While the bill is Iikely to easily clear the Environment and Public Works Committee,it will be more difficult to advance in the Senate Finance Committee.Democrats hold only a three-vote margin on the Committee,which holds Jurisdiction over tax and revenue issues and will negotiate the portion of emissions allowances that will be distributed to various industries as well as what provisions will be put in place to protect consumers from any increased energy costs associated with the plan.The product of the six committee's deliberations wilf then be merged with the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee's renewabte energy production measure—the American Clean Energy Leadership Act.The Committee approved the measure on June 17.The combined package is then expected to be scheduled for a Senate floor vote. The House passed its own climate protection Isgislation on June 26(HR 2454-the American Clean Energy and Security Act)by a 219-212 vote.The legislation aims to reduce overall domestically produced greenhouse gas emissions by 17 percent betow 20051evels by 2Q20 and 83 percent below 20�5 levels by 2050 through the establishment of an emissions cap and trading system. Under the bill major emitters would have to reduce their emissions or buy allowances,which could be traded like commodities.HR 2454 would gi�e away 85 percent of these allowances when it takes effect in 2012 and auction the remaining 15 percent,with the portion of free allowances gradually declining in subsequent decades.Proceeds would be used to help low-and moderate-income consumers pay potentially higher energy bills,and about 30 percent of the free allowances would be directed to utilities that distribute electricity tv help mitigate higher energy costs that they m(gh#face,as well as protect their residential,commercial,and industrial customers. � The measure would also allow 1 percent of ennissions allowances to be used to create State Energy and environment Development(SEED)accounts.The accounts are intended to provide resources to state governments to develop energy efficiency and renewable energy programs. The bill would require that 12.5 perceare es abliDshed to ot line how the stat s would dist bute govemments,though no parameters such funding. • , 5