So remember how we wrote a couple weeks back about a pretty exciting political global warming victory in the House with the passing of the new Energy Bill. Well now Speaker Pelosi, aiming for broader support in-party from Dems in oil-rich states, is watering down the bill a bit. Alas, language to increase federal fuel efficiency standards (CAFE standards) has been dropped. As has the "renewable energy standard" that would require utilities to generate a certain amount of power from renewable sources. As has a provision guaranteeing more time to regulators to study oil drilling permits on federal lands. As has a requirement that producers of carbon-heavy fuels (like oil and coal) pay royalties in cash (rather than paying with their polluting product, which is the current method). Ah, heavy sigh. Nobody said that consensus was easy.