Article Treasure Cove

Even as the health-care strike controls the titles , another Washington fight is heating up over climate and power . In late June, the House of Representatives passed a trademark bill putting caps on the emissions that cause universal warming, and the Senate is expected to take up the share in late September or October—if it first manages to deal with health care. In anticipation, opponents like the National Association of Manufacturers, the American Petroleum Institute, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce have mounted an expensive campaign of ads and rallies to try to win over key Senators.

The lineup of energetic adversary —along with the partisan separate that has developed over health care—has fueled reflection that the climate rule is dying. The adversary “clearly have the jump on us,” acknowledges Betsy Moler, lobbyist for Chicago-based utility Exelon (EXC), a strong adherent of the bill. But proponents are plotting a strong counterattack , and they believe they have at least a fighting possibility of succeeding, in part because rulers are poised to act if Congress doesn’t. “There is reason for guarded optimism,” says Steven Corneli, senior vice-president of market and climate policy at NRG Energy (NRG), a Princeton-based utility pushing hard for carbon caps.

Exelon and NRG are among the leaders of a league of companies gearing up to get out the message that a big chunk of corporate America, from Alcoa and GE to the utility industry, sure that caps on carbon emanations and policies to boost cleaner energy are crucial. They are planning op-ed articles, media campaigns, and a procession of CEOs, such as Exelon’s John W. Rowe, a Republican, to plead their case in the Senate.

Meanwhile, environmental groups have been running ads praising Representatives who voted for the House bill as protagonists , going door to door and calling amount of people in key states, and organizing a journey through the heartland, featuring steelworkers-turned-windmill makers and other clean power workers.

On Sept. 8, advocates stepped up their attempt . A group of 64 environmental organizations, labor concord , business groups , activists, sportsmen, and religious organizations launched a coordinated multimillion dollar campaign, dubbed Clean Energy Works, to push for law . “All of us are coming together and pooling our means ,” explains Maggie L. Fox, chief executive officer for the Alliance for Climate Protection , a group founded by Al Gore. The members include American Hunters & Shooters, Business Forward, Catholics United, the Natural Resources Defense Council, VoteVets, and the United Steelworkers.

Legislation Hinges on Swing Votes

The battle will be fought with ads, meetings , and calls all across the country. But ultimately the fight is “really about the hearts and minds of about 20 people,” explains Exelon’s Moler—the swing votes in the Senate. On the list: More than a dozen temperate Democrats, such as Arkansas’ Blanche Lincoln, Claire McCaskill of Missouri, Byron Dorgan and Kent Conrad in North Dakota, and Mark Warner and Jim Webb in Virginia, as well as a handful of Republicans—Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe in Maine, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, and John McCain of Arizona.

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