The Salt Lake Tribune
by Matt Canham

Washington » The fate of President Barack Obama's landmark climate change proposal rests largely in the hands of moderate Democrats, including Utah Rep. Jim Matheson.

And that has not gone unnoticed by miners, oil companies, environmentalists and an assortment of political operatives.

Matheson, a former energy consultant, has been the target of a big money media campaign including online, newspaper, radio and TV ads pushing him to either support or reject the president's plan to set a limit on pollution and spur the development of renewable energy.

What makes this high profile lobbying unusual is that it's focused on a committee debate, which is only the first in a long series of votes before the full House would even consider the bill.

"It's an interesting dynamic to see how many folks have taken a position on this bill before it has actually been written," said Matheson, a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

Committee Chairman Henry Waxman released details of the so-called "cap and trade" proposal late last week in a 932-page bill, and plans to call for a vote on it this Friday. But first, the committee will try to work through hundreds of proposed amendments.

The legislation would set a nationwide cap on pollution and sell or give away allowances to emit greenhouse gas. Companies that pollute less can sell their allowances to companies that need more, creating
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a pollution market. Over the years, the cap on pollution would drop, spurring industries to find ways to lower their emissions.

All 23 of the committee's Republicans are expected to vote against the bill, which they argue will harm businesses and create a new "tax" on consumers. About the same number of Democrats have announced their support, saying the bill will help wean the nation off of foreign oil and help the environment.

That leaves a small number of moderate Democrats who remain on the fence.

These moderates "Are like the political fulcrum of the committee," said Scott Segal, a Washington, D.C. lawyer representing utilities and refineries in the ongoing cap-and-trade negotiations.

"Without a full airing of what the moderate Democrats are interested in, it would be literally impossible for Chairman Waxman to produce a bill," he said.

And Matheson is more influential than most, Segal said, because he is the chairman of the Blue Dog energy task force, a conservative Democratic caucus. Hence the ad campaign.

The pro cap-and-trade group Alliance for Climate Protection is one of the groups that produced ads targeting Matheson, because of his swing vote status.

In one-minute radio spots that appeared in the last few weeks, the group says the nation must make a choice: "try our luck with business as usual or invest in a clean energy future." The ad then urges listeners to call Matheson's D.C. office.

"Rep. Matheson is certainly a key undecided vote and an influential voice among moderate democrats," said the Alliance's Keven Kennedy. "We just hope to convince him of the great positive impact the creation of a clean energy economy will have on his district."

The congressman calls all the attention this early in the legislative process "pretty unique" but it hasn't pushed him to make up his mind any faster.

He says the philosophy behind a cap-and-trade system could work, but he's worried his fellow Democrats are moving too fast on a complicated program.

Matheson's also concerned the legislation could harm certain areas of the country more than others, including Utah, which relies on coal for much of its own electricity and to export outside the state. And he doesn't want the proposals to increase people's utility bills too much, the major complaint raised by Republicans.

"I still have concerns with the bill," Matheson said. "There's a lot to work through."

mcanham@sltrib.com