Standing on the sidelines

Friday, Sept. 26, 2008 | 2:08 a.m.

Early last year California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger led an effort to create the Western Climate Initiative, a coalition of seven Western states and four Canadian provinces that sought regional solutions in the fight against global warming. It was a bold step for the states, all of which were tired of waiting for action from the federal government.

One notable omission from the group was Nevada, which is listed on the initiative’s Web site as an “observer.” The members banded together to tackle one of today’s most pressing issues, and Nevada took a seat on the sidelines as though it represented flyover country.

In writing about the initiative, Reuters news agency explained last year that Nevada is “California’s neighbor which lacks emission targets and has sought to lure Golden State businesses with tax benefits and other incentives.” In other words, polluters are welcome.

The initiative announced Tuesday that it had devised a plan for a 15 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 through a system whereby polluters can trade with one another for higher emission caps as long as total emission reduction goals are met. Ben Kieckhefer, spokesman for Gov. Jim Gibbons, responded cryptically to the plan when he told Sun columnist Jon Ralston: “Nevada’s position as a growing state and net importer of energy would make a cap and trade type of system detrimental to Nevada’s growth. The governor has focused on ensuring Nevada can utilize its renewable resources.”

You mean the governor who loves new coal-fired power plants and who vetoed legislation last year that would have limited the ability of homeowners associations to ban energy-efficient solar panels? Memo to the governor: The world is passing you by.

Nevada should have been a full partner in the initiative, as it should be for every other issue that affects the West. The fact that we chose to remain a mere observer sends the message to California and other neighbors that we as a state are not mature enough to help solve regional problems.