Following up on ads released today by the National Wildlife Federation Action Fund and Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace has now released a report applying pressure on the five Democratic Senators believed to be vulnerable to cosponsoring Senator Murkowski’s Dirty Air Act amendment to gut the Clean Air Act. The report details ‘campaign contributions that these five Democratic Senators have taken from the lobbying clients of Jeffrey Holmstead and Roger Martella, the DC influence-peddlers accused of funneling campaign cash to Senator Murkowski’:

Mary Landrieu of Louisiana — Since 1997, Senator Mary Landrieu has directly received $152,668 from these two lobbyists, their firms, their climate legislation clients, their PACs and employees.

Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas — Since 1997, Senator Blanche Lincoln, who is the Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee and has jurisdiction over clean energy legislation moving through the Senate, has directly received $139,766 from these two lobbyists, their firms, their climate legislation clients, their PACs and employees.

Jim Webb of Virginia — Since 2005, Senator Jim Webb has directly received $25,700 from these two lobbyists, their firms, their climate legislation clients, their PACs and employees.

Byron Dorgan of North Dakota — Since 1997, Senator Byron Dorgan has directly received $119,446 from these two lobbyists, their firms, their climate legislation clients, their PACs and employees.

Ben Nelson of Nebraska — Since 1997, Senator Ben Nelson has directly received $65,770 from these two lobbyists, their firms, their climate legislation clients, their PACs and employees.

All told, these five Senators have directly received $503,350 from these two lobbyists, their firms, their climate legislation clients, their PACs and employees, since 1997.

Here is Greenpeace’s report on this:

peddling-influence –

Additionally, Greenpeace sent letters to the five Senators mentioned above, attempting to clarify their position on Murkowski’s Dirty Air Act amendment. Here is a copy of the letter they sent to Senator Webb:

Webb Murkowski Letter-1 –

Senator Dorgan, one of the five Senators who received a letter from Greenpeace, refused to say whether or not he supported the amendment in a conference call today with reporters:

Dorgan wouldn’t say whether he might support a possible amendment by Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, to stop the EPA from regulating carbon emissions. But, he said, his “preference is that Congress address this issue and not the EPA.” How the amendment is crafted — most notably whether it suspends the agency’s regulatory power or completely removes it — is crucial, the senator added.

Kate Sheppard at Mother Jones has the bad news:

Alaska Republican Lisa Murkowski has gained co-sponsorship for her effort to block the EPA from regulating carbon dioxide from at least one Democrat, her office confirmed Friday evening.

Spokesman Robert Dillon said that one Democrat has signed on, though he was not able to confirm the identity of the Democrat. There are, however, plenty of ideas about who this Democratic cosponsor may be. Mary Landrieu (D-La.), Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), Jim Webb (D-Va.), Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.), and Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.), all previously on record voicing concerns about carbon regulation, have been floated as possible sign-ons. We’ve put in inquiries at all those offices and will update as more information becomes available.

Miles Grant thinks it might be Senator Webb.

I wouldn’t put it past any of the dirty Dems listed above. All five are in the pocket of the coal and/or oil and/or agriculture  industries. Then again, Robert Dillon, Kate’s apparent source on this, is completely full of shit.

Via The Hill.

Dear Mr. President:

I would like to express my concern regarding reports that the Administration may believe it has the unilateral power to commit the government of the United States to certain standards that may be agreed upon at the upcoming United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of Parties 15 in Copenhagen, Denmark. The phrase “politically binding” has been used.

Although details have not been made available, recent statements by Special Envoy on Climate Change Todd Stern indicate that negotiators may be intending to commit the United States to a nationwide emission reduction program. As you well know from your time in the Senate, only specific legislation agreed upon in the Congress, or a treaty ratified by the Senate, could actually create such a commitment on behalf of our country.

I would very much appreciate having this matter clarified in advance of the Copenhagen meetings.

Sincerely,

Jim Webb
United States Senator

Lowell Feld has more on this.

Following the lead of fellow Virginia Democrat Creigh Deeds, Senator Jim Webb is starting to sound like a Republican on energy policy:

“In its present form I would not vote for it,” he said. “I have some real questions about the real complexities on cap and trade.”

“That piece of legislation right now is something that is going to cause a lot of people a lot of concern,” he said.

He would much rather pass a nuclear subsidy bill, apparently:

On Monday, Webb and Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) proposed their own energy bill that would double the use of nuclear power through the country over the next 20 years.

The legislation would spend $20 billion over the next two decades to fund loan guarantees, worker training, research into nuclear power, advanced biofuels, electric vehicles, solar power, and nuclear fuel recycling. Both the senators’ home states – Virginia and Tennessee – have significant nuclear power plants.

Perhaps we should think more carefully about who we allow to stick that big D — and all of the $ and support that comes with it — next to their name.