Obama in step with California climate blueprint

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WASHINGTON -- Top climate staff from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s office flew cross-country this week to pitch Obama administration officials on their ideas for a federal system of regulating greenhouse gas emissions. And on several key points, the president beat them to the punch.

Obama’s budget, released Thursday, sketches the details of a so-called ‘cap and trade’ plan to limit the emissions scientists blame for climate change. They all track with California’s recommendations. Consider:

* Obama: Reduce emissions through cap and trade, which allows emitters to buy and sell emissions permits on an open market, and not through a direct tax on carbon dioxide emissions. California recommendation: same.

* Obama: Cap emissions to return the United States to 1990 levels by 2020. California: same.

* California: Auction a large amount of the initial emissions permits, as opposed to giving them away. Obama: Auction ALL permits.

The governor’s delegation still had plenty to talk about with White House officials; their recommendations included several points Obama left untouched in the budget, including whether to preserve the power of states to regulate emissions with their own initiatives.

-- Jim Tankersley