Gregoire outlines plan for measuring state's greenhouse-gas emissions

Big companies and government agencies in Washington would have to measure their contributions to the world's growing greenhouse gases — and share that information with the public — under a proposal announced this morning by Gov. Christine Gregoire.

The plan, the centerpiece of a package of climate-change measures the governor is sending to the Legislature, would be a first step toward regulating and reducing global-warming pollutants by providing a starting point for measuring whether they are going up or down.

Corporations and governments currently don't have to measure their greenhouse-gas emissions in the United States. But Washington is part of a coalition of Western states negotiating common rules to limit greenhouse gas.

Those states are working toward a "cap-and-trade" system that would allow companies to buy and sell pollution permits within an overall cap on greenhouse-gas emissions.

Gregoire detailed the proposal at a news conference at a construction company in South Seattle.

In addition, the governor said she is proposing a "green-collar job" program of education and training for industries involved in efforts to address climate change.