Even though Waxman has apparently made some positive changes, there is still confusion. For example, my own Congressman, Jerry McNerney is a member of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. He is also a member of the Committee on Science and Technology - Subcommittee on Energy and Environment. I am not clear how this subcommittee overlaps with the new one headed by Markey.

I do know that McNerney, a wind energy consultant with a PhD in Math, is a valuable voice for the scientific basis of policy.

It still has not moved us further down the road toward legislation that will place the limits on CO2 that we need. See the post on Pelosi at Climate Progress.

(also posted at Climate Progress)

Wes Rolley CoChair - EcoAction Committee Green Party US

Good news: Swapping Boucher for Markey is essentially a swap from pro-coal to pro-environment.  This is of enormous benefit to the likely shape of bills that could come out of the house where - barring a shift towards the executive branch - 2009 Climate bills will start.

Bad news: Whatever else may be said of Waxman-Markey, it is never going to be capable of a Nixon-goes-to-China approach to reach across the aisle, given the lefty slant (real or perceived) of both.  Dingell and Boucher, flawed as they may be had sufficient track record that they could bring votes on both sides.  

On balance, I think this is overwhelmingly good.  (And I also think that Markey's perception of a Massachusetts-lefty is far out of line with the throughtfulness and reasonable centrism I have personally seen in interactions with his staff.)  But the politics will be there, and we ought to watch carefully to see how it plays out.