Summary of the Carbon Limits and Energy for America’s Renewal Act (CLEAR)

On December 11, 2009, Sens. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced the Carbon Limits and Energy for America's Renewal Act (CLEAR). Some have described the bill, which aims to reduce overall U.S. greenhouse gas emissions through the creation of an upstream cap-and-trade program, as a politically viable approach to passing comprehensive climate change legislation in the Senate. This primer provides a detailed overview of the bill, including concerns about the extent of the greenhouse gas reductions it could achieve.