The mining industry's key complaint about the Rudd government's emissions trading scheme has received a boost amid signs US politicians believe industry should be handed most of their permits for free under a proposed system.
Mike Doyle, a Democrat involved in the preparation of a key ETS bill now before the US Congress, said this week that US industries would be given most of their permits for free, not only to protect their trade competitiveness, but to ensure companies had time to introduce new technology as it became available.
"The majority of the permits will be allocated at first," said Mr Doyle, who represents a Pennsylvania district reliant on steel making.
The Australian Financial Review
says the Minerals Council of Australia has long argued that Prime Minister Kevin Rudd should abandon his plan to sell all emissions permits from the outset of the ETS - albeit with transitional assistance for industry - and instead phase in full auctioning.
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