A conference began July 14 to resolve differences between S. 10, the Senate's relatively bipartisan energy legislation passed by a margin of 85-12 and H.R. 6, which passed the House in April along party lines. Optimists believe its work could be completed by early August. The leadership in both Houses, spurred by the White House, is determined to have a final bill on the President's desk before the break. The range of subject matters and differences between the two bills make that a genuine challenge. Most notably, provisions in the House bill that provide liability protections for manufacturers of methyl tertiary butyl ether, or MTBE, killed similar legislation two years ago. These bills could change electric power regulation more profoundly than any legislation since 1992 or, some might argue, since 1978.
    
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