Inventories of winter fuels, including propane, natural gas, coal used for electricity generation and distillates, which includes heating oil, are well above typical historical levels as the 2009-2010 winter heating season draws closer, the Energy Information Administration reports.

“Current high inventories stem primarily from the recession,” the agency said. “As the economic downturn deepened throughout 2008 and 2009, energy demand fell, but supply was relatively slow to respond.”

Despite the recession, which data shows began in the United States in December 2007, and a sharp rise in oil prices through July 2008, total world oil demand increased 1.1 percent in the first half of 2008 and total world oil supply climbed 1.8 percent for the period. World oil demand fell in the third and fourth quarters of 2008, but global oil supply did not drop from 2007 levels until the fourth quarter 2008.

Six Republican senators presented opposing arguments to the Boxer-Kerry climate bill proposal during a media event a few hours following the bill’s release on Sept. 30, stating that the proposed bill would lead to higher consumer costs and job losses.

The 821-page bill authored by Sens. John Kerry, D-Mass., and Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., would mandate that the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions decline 20 percent from 2005 levels. The bill includes several blank spaces, allowing Democrats and Republican moderates to determine details.

The intention of the bill is to “create clean energy jobs, promote energy independence, reduce global warming pollution and transition to a clean energy economy,” the first page states.