Posted on 09/19/2006 2:31:40 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's environmental adviser said his mission to change federal policy on global warming by getting vast regions of the United States to regulate greenhouse gas emissions will start with states on the Mexican border.
Terry Tamminen is working with Schwarzenegger, a Republican, and Gov. Janet Napolitano, a Democrat in neighboring Arizona, to spearhead an effort to spread rules like California's to cut greenhouse gases to other states.
In the absence of federal regulation on emissions of gases scientists link to global warming, the California legislature passed rules two weeks ago that require the state to reduce greenhouse gases about 25 percent by 2020. The legislation recommends using markets -- in which companies that cut greenhouse gas output under a set limit, can sell credits for them to companies that prefer not to take action -- to cut emissions.
If emissions markets spread throughout the country they could link with Europe's greenhouse gas market, easing trade and lowering costs, he said. "Let's face it, if I have the need to buy credits to meet my cap and I can only go to one supplier, he can set the price. If I can go to 10 suppliers, they are going to compete for my business."
Tamminen resigned as Schwarzenegger's cabinet secretary last month to concentrate on the multi-state effort and to run the green part of the governor's re-election campaign in November.
CARBON COPY OF JOHNNY APPLESEED?
Comparing himself to a carbon "Johnny Appleseed," the U.S. agricultural pioneer who planted apple nurseries throughout the country starting in the late 1700s, Tamminen said he will first target the three other U.S. states on the Mexican border, as well as other Western states, and states in the Northeast.
He then hopes to keep expanding the plan until states in which half the U.S. population live have adopted carbon regulations.
California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas, which span a distance of 1,950 miles, all border Mexico.
"Western states and border states could connect East and West and North and South," he told reporters at an emissions conference.
Not everyone is convinced Tamminen will succeed. Frank Maisano, a Washington-based spokesman for several energy companies, said carbon regulations could force power plants to shut. "It's wildly optimistic that some of the fastest growing areas in the nation will adopt what amounts to dramatic energy restrictions."
President George W. Bush favors voluntary methods of cutting the gases scientists link to global warming. That has puts the world's top polluter behind the European Union in using markets to reduce emissions.
Still, Washington, where the idea of using markets to cut emissions originated, is abuzz with ideas to use markets to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
On Monday, the Congressional Budget Office, composed primarily of economists and public policy analysts, issued a report saying clean alternative energy and technologies to bury carbon dioxide underground need financial incentives to develop. Environmentalists said the report proved that Bush's favoring of voluntary emissions cuts was not enough.
This fall Tamminen will visit seven Northeastern states that have formed the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, an agreement to cut carbon dioxide emissions from power plants.
In addition, Tamminen said he is working with the six states in Mexico that border the United States to help get the developing country to take part in reductions of the gases scientists link to global warming.
What a country!
There must be a lot of money to be made in emissions credits trading.
Idiots! They need to get started right now building a lot more electric generating plants, adding refineries and drilling for oil and gas. They will go 180 degrees in the opposite direction due to some hocus-pocus crackpot theory aimed at establishing a socialist agenda.
California wants to force their looney-bin, la-la land regulations here in the State of Texas? Well, the word "Target" is a fightin' word to me.
I wish California would keep their loons locked up.
There must be a lot of money to be made in emissions credits trading.
Nah, "Schwarzenegger's environmental adviser" is going to build a huge hormongous fence along the southern border to keep all third world emissions, that are excluded from any regulation out. It's really a conspiracy with the anti-illegal alien folks to control what comes across the borders.
remember, he says it is "his mission to change federal policy on global warming by getting vast regions of the United States to regulate greenhouse gas emissions will start with states on the Mexican border. "
It's really stealth border control ;O)
I'd like to jack up California about 45 degrees for 20 minutes and see what rolls into the ocean.
Will this mean reductions in consumption of refried beans?
who prints the 'credits'?
which is the same thing as printing money.
who gets free credits?
how do you decide how many credits a state gets?
who chooses the 'deciders'?
free money has a stong appeal
there will be fighting over who gets the free money.
also, regulated industries, like electric power,
can get a rate hike.
other industries can't and will
become angry
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