America’s House of Representatives agreed, 219 to 212, to the
Waxman-Markey bill to cap emissions of carbon dioxide, the main
greenhouse gas. The bill's goals are to achieve CO2 reductions of 17%
from 2005 levels by 2020, and 83% by 2050. Concessions were made,
however, to get the winning vote. The Dept. of Agriculture, rather than
the EPA, will determine what counts as a carbon offset and farmers
producing ethanol will not be held responsible for indirect land use
impacts that result from their farming practices. Now the bill must
survive a very tough fight in the Senate.