June 26 (Reuters) - U.S. states that have led the country in forming limits
on greenhouse gas emissions have thrown their support behind a federal bill to
address climate change.

The federal plan would pre-empt regulations by the states, but the states
stand ready if the national plan fails. [ID:nN26337876]

In the East, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative has already started
regulating carbon dioxide emissions from power plants.

A group of states and Canadian provinces, known as the Western Climate
Initiative, will start regulating six greenhouse gases across the entire
economy with tougher caps starting in 2012, unless the federal program kicks
off.

Six states in the Midwest and the Canadian province of Manitoba also plan
to curb emissions together failing a federal plan.

Below is a comparison of how the Eastern and Western states plan to cut
emissions.

Plan RGGI (East) WCI (West)

Emissions covered CO2 six gases including CO2,

methane, and sulfur

hexaflouride

States 10 in the East 7 in the West led by California

and 4 Canadian provinces.

Effective date 2009 2012 for power plants and

industry. 2015 for

transportation

Number of regulated 233 power plants To be determined

polluters

Emissions cap level 10 pct reduction 15 pct reduction by 2020

by 2018 below 2009 below 2005 levels

levels

Distribution of About 90 pct mininum 10 pct auction by 2014

permits auctioned mininum 25 pct auction after

2020

Offsets Limited to 3.3 pct No more than 49 pct of

of a generator's total emission reductions

total emissions from 2012 to 2020

(Offsets are pollution credits for reductions generally made by others
outside a cap-and-trade system. Thus financial assistance to a project to stop
tropical deforestation would generate offset credits that a U.S. polluter could
buy in place of cutting its own pollution).

Sources: Environment Northeast, states.
(Reporting by Timothy Gardner; Editing by Peter Cooney)