Western states pledge to cut greenhouse gases

Western states pledge to cut greenhouse gases    A coalition of six western U.S. states and two Canadian provinces Wednesday announced a cooperative regional goal to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 2020.
   Members of the Western Climate Initiative — Arizona, California, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah and Washington and the Canadian provinces of British Columbia and Manitoba — said they had decided on a goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 15 percent over 2005 levels within 13 years.
   The WCI was created in February by the governors of Arizona, California, New Mexico, Oregon and Washington. The group, pledging to work toward significant reductions in emissions, has designed a market-based pollution credit system such as a cap-and-trade program planned by California.
   California's plan caps the state's total emissions at a given level and then provides credits that allow a certain amount of pollution to be emitted. Companies can then buy and trade the credits among themselves.
   The WCI said they felt compelled to act because the federal government 'is choosing to delay action,' according to the group.
   The group plans to have the credit-based system designed within a year.