US Fossil Fuel CO2 Emissions

CO2 emissions from fossil fuel have been growing steadily in the U.S. and are projected to continue growing until 2030 and beyond if no legislation is passed to reduce emissions. Legislation passed in the U.S. House of Representatives in June 2009 (the American Clean Energy and Security Act, ACES, H.R. 2454, also known as the Waxman-Markey climate and energy bill) and a Senate version (Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act, S. 1733, also known as the Kerry-Boxer bill, still under discussion as of publication date) both call for a reduction in U.S. greenhouse gas emissions of 83% by 2050 compared to emissions in 2005.  The bills also specify emission reduction targets (all relative to 2005) for several intermediate years: 3% by 2012; 17% by 2020 under Waxman-Markey (20% under Kerry-Boxer), and 42% by 2030.