Mike Levin: “it is difficult to oppose a bill that has a number of provisions that I not only support, but worked to have included in…”

“it is difficult to oppose a bill that has a number of provisions that I not only support, but worked to have included in the bill. However, the process and the product are deeply flawed and I cannot support it. There are many objectionable provisions that were added to this bill that were not in either the House or Senate versions of this legislation; for instance the retroactive MTBE liability waiver, underground storage tank provisions that would require taxpayers, rather than polluters, to pay $2 billion to clean up leaking underground storage tanks containing gasoline and other toxic chemicals, even at sites where viable responsible parties are identifiable, and the numerable State-specific projects that will cost billions of dollars and were, again, not considered by the House or the Senate. The Senate passed a comprehensive and balanced Energy bill in July. Then, after weeks of closed-door meetings with virtually no input from Democratic conferees, the Republicans put forward this "take it or leave it" Energy bill that is drastically different than the bill that the Senate passed. We have no opportunity to amend this bill, or choose among its good and bad provisions. It is all or nothing. There are simply too many provisions on the negative side of the ledger.…”