White House energy and climate change czar Carol Browner this morning downplayed the prospect of passing an energy bill by the December U.N. talks in Copenhagen and, echoing other top administration officials, said the focus should be on crafting a domestic bill reducing greenhouse gases first and foremost.

"We'd like to be through the process. I don't think that's going to happen" by Copenhagen, Browner told an audience on day two of the "First Draft of History" forum sponsored by The Atlantic and the Aspen Institute. "That's not likely. But, we could be out of committee in the Senate, headed to the floor."

Browner said that regardless of what is achieved at an international level in Copenhagen, there are many arguments in favor of crafting a domestic bill. She also emphasized that any legislation needs to be comprehensive and include a cap-and-trade system, countering suggestions from some lawmakers that a bill could be divided to address provisions like a renewable electricity standard and other renewable energy incentives separately from efforts to address climate change.

"We think we need to get the whole thing done at the same time so we can work across the entire landscape," Browner said in an interview with Atlantic Media Political Director Ronald Brownstein. "Doing this piecemeal will not give everybody predictability." When referring to "everybody," Browner was pointing to, in large part, the business community.

She also commented on the EPA's recent announcement that it will start regulating greenhouse gas emissions of stationary sources, such as power plants. This is an especially controversial decision both in Congress and the energy industry, where many people are wary of giving a federal agency the authority to regulate greenhouse gases. Browner pointed out today that the EPA is compelled to do so because of the 2007 Supreme Court case Massachusetts v. EPA, which declared carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases pollutants.

Browner said the administration's ideal plan would be to legislate emissions reduction rather than regulate, but she argued that the EPA could play an important political role. "EPA is moving forward to start the traditional regulatory clock," she said. "That will encourage the business community to raise their voices in Congress. Many of them are already doing that. They don't want to be under four or five different regulatory regimes."

More in Energy Go to section

October 04, 2010 | Energy and Environment Bulletin

Is Unpriced Carbon The Next Subprime?

September 02, 2010 | Energy and Environment Bulletin

Dems Seek Answers On Gulf Explosion

September 01, 2010 | Energy and Environment Bulletin

BP Spent Big On Advertising After Spill

August 24, 2010 | Tech Daily Dose

Biden: Stimulus Dollars Fueling Energy and Life-Saving Technology

August 17, 2010 | Insider Interviews

Deepwater Horizon's Enduring Lessons