California GHG plan could spur development of US policy: official

Washington (Platts)--19Sep2006

A global warming bill approved last month by the California Legislature
could spur the establishment of a "de facto national climate plan" within the
next two years, a key advisor to California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
said Tuesday.

Terry Tamminen, who advises Schwarzenegger on environmental
issues, said he believes California's bill could form the basis of a national
global warming policy if it or measures like it are adopted by enough other
states.

"We can't wait for the [federal government] anymore," Tamminen told
reporters at a Strategic Research Institute conference in Washington. "We have
to solve global warming." Tamminen said he is going around the country
lobbying other states to pass laws similar to California's, which requires the
power sector and other industries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to
1990 levels by 2020. That represents a cut of about 25% compared with
projected levels if no controls were imposed.

If enough states follow California's lead, industries that now oppose
greenhouse gas caps would demand that Congress establish a national scheme
"because they don't want to end up with 50 different sets of regulations,"
Tamminen said.

He acknowledged that California's measure could lead to higher energy
prices "in the short run," which he defined as 5 to 7 years. But after that,
the technological innovation that the law will spur will strengthen the
economy and create "tens of thousands of additional jobs," Tamminen said.

Schwarzenegger, a Republican, intends to sign the new law within the next
two weeks, Tamminen said.

-- Brian Hansen, brian_hansen@platts.com

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