California to work with three western states on global warming

San Francisco (Platts)--30Nov2006

The California Public Utilities Commission on Thursday adopted a Joint
Action Framework on Climate Change outlining actions energy regulators in four
western states can take to cut energy sector contributions to global warming.

Members of the Washington, Oregon and California and New Mexico utility
commissions are expected to sign the framework on Friday at an energy
efficiency workshop in San Francisco.

The agreement, among other things, calls for the state commissions to
explore ways to make carbon sequestration viable and to evaluate ways to boost
renewables development, including strategies to promote development of
transmission lines to access renewables.

There is strength in numbers," California Commissioner Dian Grueneich
said at Thursday's meeting. Only by working together will progress be made on
the climate change front, she added.

As part of the effort, the PUCs will direct their staffs to come up with
an annual work plan and summary of progress. Joint workshops will be convened
to tackle action items detailed in the agreement, the PUC said.

--Lisa Weinzimer, lisa_weinzimer@platts.com

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