The post-election outlook for regional cap-and-trade

[ProSense]

The post-election outlook for regional cap-and-trade

by Jonathan Hiskes

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Ten northeastern states have been running an active cap-and-trade program for power plants that has produced modest greenhouse-gas cuts and raised $729 million for clean-energy programs. Two clusters of states in the West and Midwest have been inching toward their own regional cap-and-trade plans.

But then the election happened, bringing in a host of new governors and switching control of state legislatures, mostly from Democratic to Republican. What does it mean for regional cap-and-trade?

It means most of the action will happen on the coasts. Democratic victories in Northeastern states will probably keep that region's program stable for the next few years. And California's overwhelming ballot victory for its climate law provides a backbone for the Western program, which is scheduled to go online in 2012 even if only a few states follow through. In the Midwest, however, regional cap-and-trade is probably stalled out for the next few years, with the program's original architects out of office and clean-energy-hostile Republicans taking charge in Wisconsin, Kansas, and Ohio.

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Here's a closer look at the future of the three regional programs and how they might serve as test labs for a national plan.



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[jwirr]

1. If the repugs freeze the fed efforts to do anything it will be up to the

states but with all the repug governors elected will they do anything?

[karynnj]

2. It is great to see this - especially as doing much by legislation at the federal

level seems impossible. It is impressive how much of the country those three efforts include - and interesting in how closely, but not perfectly they correspond to the "blue" states. I wonder if CO with its new governor might move to join. What is really interesting is the red states included. I wonder if success - or lack of the world ending there might give the states courage to push their republican Congress people to work to help this.

As to the federal level, can we redo the civil war - let them announce they are seceding ... and without a shot - let them!

Next thought - the NE Governor's conference initiated the sulfur dioxide cap an trade (pushed by a tall, young Lt Governor from Massachusetts) and later the iea was included in the clean air act.