Also shelved Thursday was a plan to require utilities to buy a certain percent of their power from renewable sources.
Reid said any energy bill will now focus on four smaller areas: Money for energy conservation in homes -- known as "Home Star" and sometimes called "cash for caulkers" by critics; unspecified measures to make BP pay for the Gulf oil spill and prevent further accidents; providing incentives for trucks powered by natural gas; and funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
The fate of some trade-offs Democrats had offered in an attempt to pass a compressive global warming bill is uncertain, including increased access to oil and gas in the United States and more nuclear energy.
Reid vowed to revisit a broad energy bill at a later date.
"We are not putting forth this bill in place of a comprehensive bill," he said. "We have a responsibility -- both to our constituents and our children -- to take on America's energy challenge."
Democrats push to extend benefits for unemployedWall Street reform bill: One vote away
