May 5--Rep. Baron Hill is weighing the pros and cons of an energy bill before making his decision, a spokeswoman for the congressman said Monday.

The American Clean Energy & Security Act is being pushed by several organizations, including the America's Building Trades Union, which has petitioned Hill and other U.S. Representatives that sit on the Energy and the Environment subcommittee to vote for it.

Hill spokeswoman Katie Moreau acknowledged Hill is involved in negotiations over the bill, and described the measure as "very much a work in progress."

The Trades Union believes the bill could stimulate trillions of dollars in private investment and boost the production of alternative energy.

That could mean new jobs in places like Indiana, where the unemployment rate remains in double digits. Lobbyists are pushing for stipulations to ensure the new positions stay in the country, as does the funding needed to transition to a more energy-efficient nation.

"Those green energy jobs need to be created in the U.S.," Trades Union spokesman David Roscow said last week. Some parts of the bill remain in draft form.

Moreau said climate change is one of Hill's top concerns, but that he is also worried about the potential impact the bill could have on Indiana.

"Creating new green jobs in Southern Indiana would be a great boon to the economy and a highly-productive output of the bill," she said.

" Yet with the overall climate change legislation, [Hill] wants to be sure it doesn't unfairly tax or penalize places like Southern Indiana that rely on energy sources, like coal, for their primary power source."

Trades Union's push for the plan includes radio, television and newspaper advertisements through Indiana's 9th District. The ads -- themed "It's Time" -- ask voters to contact Hill and ask him to vote for the Clean Energy act.

Hill's subcommittee appointment is a product of his seat with the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and the other representatives that serve on the committee are also included in the ad blitz.

"Doing nothing is not an option. We are encouraged by the American Clean Energy & Security Act and will work closely with the Congress to ensure that our nation's clean energy future is one that is built with American components and American workers," said Mark Ayers, president of the Building and Construction Trades Department, in a news release.

But the Trades Union isn't the only group spending money on advertising.

The American Energy Alliance has started a two-week radio campaign against the Clean Energy act, targeting Hill's fellow Energy and Commerce Committee member Rep. G.K. Butterfield, a North Carolina Republican.

The group is opposed to the bill because of its potential to increase taxes.

"Cap-and-trade is going to significantly increase the cost of energy for every American family, which is something that we feel very strongly against," Laura Henderson of AEA said.

The jump in taxes is acknowledged even by those in support of the legislation, AEA President Thomas Pyle said.

"The real fight in Washington is over how high those costs will go and what, exactly, we can expect to get from engaging in the unilateral disarmament of our energy and economic future," he said.

Reports from The Associated Press were used in this story

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