More Momentum for Carbon Caps

As noted here before [1], Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., who chairs a key environmental committee, is close to the auto industry and may be an obstacle to strong global warming legislation.

But yesterday at the Detroit Economic Club, Dingell said his committee is "working to fashion an economy-wide cap-and-trade policy," [2] putting him on the same page as Speaker Nancy Pelosi [3], D-Calif., his Senate counterpart Barbara Boxer [4], D-Calif., and of course, the American people [5] -- raising the likelihood that both houses of Congress can pass a cap.

As always with environmental issues, the devils in the details. Any carbon cap bill can be weakened with loopholes [6] or structured ineffectively [7].

And it's not at all clear yet that Dingell will help craft a strong bill in the end. But he's moving in the right direction, helping build a congressional consensus around a cap on carbon emissions.