Several major energy groups, including the American Petroleum Institute (API) and Edison Electric Institute, attended a Capitol Hill briefing Tuesday where three senators involved in crafting climate change and energy legislation presented “their thinking” on the issues, but were short on details.

“The oil and natural gas industry was pleased to participate in the senators’ briefing as they develop climate proposals. We look forward to seeing details of the senators’ proposal and hope to be a constructive participant as discussions move forward,” said API President Jack Gerard of the briefing held by Sens. John Kerry (D-MA), Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Joe Lieberman (I-CT).

“There weren’t any details” on climate legislation that were unveiled to the energy associations, an energy industry spokeswoman said. “There is not a proposal yet…They talked about a blueprint,” she noted.

“This was a briefing on what they’re [the senators] thinking” on the issues.

Kerry, Graham and Lieberman have been working on a climate proposal since before the United Nations climate change conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, in December (see Daily GPI, Dec. 14, 2009). But the senators have yet to produce any tangible legislation, which has prompted criticism from Democrats and Republicans alike.

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