The Members of the U.S. House Committee on Energy & Commerce moved a step closer towards establishing a first-ever cap and trade system for the management of greenhouse gases in the U.S. by passing the The American Clean Energy and Security Act out of the committee. The move is receiving praise by many, although there are still those who feel it doesn't meet their expectations.

The U.S. Climate Action Partnership (USCAP) congratulated Chairmen Waxman and Markey, who had championed the bill.

"This significant vote demonstrates the urgency we face in addressing global climate change and our ability to do so in a way that protects the environment while safeguarding our economy," the group said in a statement. "As members of a broad and diverse coalition, we understand the many challenges involved in reaching agreement on this complex set of issues. But we also know that taking action to address climate change provides important opportunities to spur innovation and economic investment, and to strengthen American competitiveness. Just as important, we know that waiting only makes those challenges harder. The time to find consensus and take action is now.

"While the current bill does not reflect every USCAP recommendation... it is a good foundation for moving forward in the Congress. As this process unfolds, we are committed to pursuing further opportunities to make the bill even more effective and economically sustainable."

The U.S. Conference of Mayors CEO & Executive Director Tom Cochran was a little less laudatory.

"We're concerned that the Committee agreed on a bill that provides billions of dollars for state governments but excludes direct funding for cities, which is where the majority of climate protection actions have been taking place as demonstrated by the 950 Mayors who have signed The U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement," Cochran says. "We're recommending that at least 20 per cent of the direct proceeds from auctions created by this bill that goes to states, instead go directly to cities to support efforts already underway by nearly 1,000 mayors.

"We will continue to work with the House Ways and Means Committee, and leaders in the House and Senate with the goal of obtaining a more comprehensive solution to solving the climate change problem," Cochran continues. "Last year, the Senate Climate Change bill, included provisions to fund local and state governments through the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program (EECBG), and we commend Senator Boxer for her leadership. We hope that Congress will recognize the key role that local governments play, and correct their current version of the bill to provide funding for EECBG through the Climate Change Bill."

Former Vice President and Alliance for Climate Protection Chair Al Gore, in congratulating Waxman and Markey, said, "The bill represents a crucial step forward in addressing the global climate crisis, the need for millions of new green jobs to end the recession, and the national security threats that have long been linked to our growing dependence on foreign oil and other fossil fuels."

Canadian Environment Minister Jim Prentice already expressed his dismay about the bill on Wednesday, when he warned U.S. lawmakers to drop proposed trade sanctions on imports from countries with higher levels of greenhouse gas emissions, saying the measure would be a "prescription for disaster" for the global economy.

The bill has U.S. trade partners concerned because it seeks to protect U.S. companies put at a competitive disadvantage with foreign competitors by the strict emissions rules. As noted at a recent carbon trading event in Toronto, foreign manufacturers will be required to pay special allowances, and this allowance would be at the discretion of the U.S. government.

Passing the bill out of committee, of course, was one of the easier hurdles that had to be cleared. Many more remain before this becomes law.

More information about USCAP's Blueprint for Legislative Action can be found at www.us-cap.org. More on the EECBG can be found at http://www.usmayors.org/pressreleases/uploads/DOE_032609.PDF.

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