Royal Dutch Shell is pushing the US Senate to provide more emissions permits through the climate legislation now under consideration. The oil sector received just 2% of the allowances distributed before auction, compared with 30% to electric utilities. Elsewhere, the agriculture industry is lobbying hard to avoid being included in the legislation as an emitter, while simultaneously pushing for the industry’s carbon-locking potential be recognized as a sequestration possibility, says US Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. “I believe it is crucial that we engage the participation of farmers, ranchers and forest land owners,” Vilsack told the Senate Environment Committee. (Source: Reuters, July 7, July 8, 2009)
Contact: Shell, www.shell.us; Tom Vilsack, Secretary, US Department of Agriculture, (202) 720-3631, www.usda.gov.