9 States Target Transportation Emissions with New Cap-and-Trade Plan

Details have yet to be worked out, but it's likely to follow California's example, with funds going to low-carbon choices like electric vehicles and public transit.

Nine Eastern states have committed to cut transportation emissions in their region by designing a new cap-and-trade system.  It's the latest and perhaps most significant example of states working together to fill a void left by the federal government to address climate change.

What the plan will actually look like, and how much it is able to reduce emissions, remains to be seen.  The nine states, plus Washington, D.C., agreed to cooperate on a regional policy that would cap carbon emissions from the burning of fossil fuels and then reduce that cap over time.  Proceeds would be reinvested in low-carbon projects, such as zero-emission vehicles and public transit, according to a statement endorsed by the group.

"It's one of the most important initiatives ever undertaken by the states on climate," said Kenneth Kimmell president of the Union of Concerned Scientists, an organization that has advocated for the initiative.  "It is a huge, transformative moment."

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