(From the sacbee.com) California and 10 other Western states and Canadian provinces took a key step forward Tuesday with plans to create a regionwide market for buying and selling pollution allowances. The Western Climate Initiative unveiled the framework for its cap-and-trade system – the cornerstone of its effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 15 percent in the Western region over the next decade.

The development comes as federal legislation to set up a nationwide cap-and-trade system has stalled in Congress.

“This is a huge step forward,” said Erin Rogers, a global warming policy expert for the Union of Concerned Scientists.

“In the absence of federal action, this shows that the states and regions are willing to take the lead on global climate change.”

The WCI said its framework for a regional cap-and-trade system will be operational by January 2012.

Under a cap-and-trade system, the total amount of allowable carbon emissions from oil refiners, utilities and other big polluters will be capped.

Read more here: Carbon cap-and-trade market planned in West