Excellent move

Putting its economic clout to good use, California has passed some new regulations that won't off-shore (well out-of-California) its pollution:

California power companies will be barred from buying electricity from most coal-fired power plants after state utility regulators adopted new limits on emissions of heat-trapping gases linked to global warming.

Thursday's 4-0 vote by the Public Utilities Commission prohibits investor-owned utilities from entering long-term contracts to obtain electricity from sources that emit more carbon dioxide than a modern natural gas plant. The so-called 'greenhouse gas emissions performance standard' takes effect Feb. 1. (AP Wire | 01/26/2007 | California power companies barred from buying dirty power)