Climate Stewardship Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-139
Sponsor: Sen. Lieberman, Joseph I. [D-CT]
Introduced: 2003-01-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Air pollution control
Atmosphere
Carbon dioxide
Climate change and greenhouse gases
Coal
Commerce
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Data banks
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Electric power production
Emissions trading
Energy
Energy conservation
Energy efficiency
Environmental assessment
Environmental economics
Environmental law enforcement
Environmental monitoring
Federal aid to education
Federal aid to research
Fines (Penalties)
Fuel consumption
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Government publications
Governmental investigations
Higher education
Hydrocarbons
International Affairs
International environmental cooperation
International law
Inventories
Laboratories
Law
Mercury
Motor vehicle pollution control
National Science Foundation
Natural gas
Nitrogen oxides
Nonprofit organizations
Ozone layer depletion
Petroleum industry
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Research grants
Scholarships
Science, Technology, Communications
Social Welfare
Standards
Students
Sulphur dioxide
Technology transfer
Transboundary pollution
Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
action_date: 2003-01-09
text: Climate Stewardship Act of 2003 - Establishes Federal climate change research and related activities, including: (1) post-secondary scholarships; (2) a study of technology transfer barriers; (3) a report on the impact of the Kyoto Protocol on the United States; (4) research grants on priority areas; (5) research on potential abrupt climate change; and (6) enhancing measurements, standards, and technologies that enable the reduction of greenhouse gasses.
Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish and maintain the National Greenhouse Gas Database, including the development of measurement and verification methods and standards.
Requires covered entities to submit to the Administrator one tradeable allowance for every metric ton of carbon dioxide equivalence, specifically: (1) the electric generation, industrial, and commercial sectors for greenhouse gases produced; (2) producers or importers for hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, or sulfur hexafluoride produced or imported; and (3) petroleum refiners or importers for greenhouse gasses (when used for transportation).
Permits: (1) the use of tradeable allowances to achieve compliance; (2) the conversion of fuel economy standard credits to tradeable allowances, as specified; (3) borrowing against future reductions; and (4) tradeable allowances to be sold, exchanged, purchased, retired, banked, or used.
Permits the exemption of certain source categories if it is not feasible to measure or estimate emissions.
Directs the Administrator to establish tradeable allowances in units of carbon dioxide equivalence. Provides for the allocation of such allowances according to economic impact factors.
Establishes the Climate Change Credit Corporation to manage tradeable allowances.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-10-30
text: Rereferred to Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works by Unanimous Consent.
action_date: 2003-10-30
text: Considered by Senate. (consideration: CR S13572-13598)
action_date: 2003-10-29
text: Measure laid before Senate. (consideration: CR S13484-13509)
action_date: 2003-10-29
text: Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works discharged by Unanimous Consent.
action_date: 2003-10-29
text: Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works discharged by Unanimous Consent.
action_date: 2003-01-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. (text of measure as introduced: CR S167-173)
action_date: 2003-01-09
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S166-167, S173-174)
action_date: 2003-01-09
text: Introduced in Senate