The Battle to Shape the Waxman/Markey Bill. By Lisa Lerer, Politico, April 29, 2009. "As the climate change battle continues to heat up, dozens of lawmakers, industry associations and environmental advocates are waging intense lobbying campaigns to shape legislation that would establish a cap-and-trade system... Here's some of what the major players are pushing for: Electric companies. The utilities want Congress to give 40 percent of the cap-and-trade system allowances for free to regulated local distribution companies. The electric companies argue that getting the free allowances would enable them to reduce the impact of the cap-and-trade-related price increase on consumers, including low-income families and businesses... Democrats. A significant number of moderate and conservative Democrats who sit on the Energy and Commerce Committee have voiced concern with the bill... Coal-state Democrats want to push back the reduction deadlines... Midwestern Democrats support setting aside 15 percent of the carbon allowances for free distribution to trade-sensitive industries, like steel, paper and aluminum... Southern Democrats are concerned about the renewable electric standard included in the bill... Republicans. Republicans on the committee argue that a cap-and-trade system would raise costs on already-strapped businesses and consumers, particularly in the middle of the country, and they are threatening a slew of GOP amendments... Environmentalists. Many environmental groups believe that all the allowances should be auctioned off, with the proceeds used to invest in clean energy and to offset consumer price increases. Giving away allowances, they say, will slow the transition to cleaner types of energy. They also oppose the... offset [provisions] in the bill... Auto companies. Car manufacturers generally support the bill but want 5 percent of the cap-and-trade revenues to help fund the development of greener automobile technologies... Coal companies. Coal companies want to... push back the start date of a cap-and-trade system, currently set at 2012, to give companies and the federal government at least five years to prepare for the new system."