Greenpeace Will Not Support Senate Climate Bill

Earlier this afternoon, I speculated on what the concessions to industry in the Senate climate bill would mean for environmental groups’ support. “Is this enough for some liberal groups to withhold their support?” I asked. “Probably — although the mainstream of the environmental movement is likely to bite the bullet and throw its weight behind the country’s best chance to curb greenhouse gas emissions.”

Well, that question’s already starting to be answered. Greenpeace delivers a resounding “yes”:

Offering the first evidence of the complex Senate debate that lies ahead on an energy reform bill, the environmental group Greenpeace said Friday it intends to oppose the legislation that a bipartisan group of Senators intend to introduce next week.

“Although we appreciate the Senate’s efforts to reduce global warming pollution, it’s clear that polluter lobbyists have succeeded in hijacking this climate policy initiative and undermined the ambitious action necessary,” Phil Radford, the group’s executive director, said in a statement.

We’ll have more answers after the bill drops on Monday.