[SustainableTompkins] Northeast Global Warming Pact Update

[Tony Del Plato]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Union of Concerned Scientists - Action Network <action at ucsusa.org>
Date: Aug 16, 2006 5:07 PM
Subject: Northeast Global Warming Pact Update
To: Anthony Del Plato <tonydelplato at gmail.com>

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Dear Anthony,

The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), the first in the nation plan
for mandatory emissions reductions, has reached a key milestone on the road
to implementation. *Yesterday, eight northeastern states released the "model
rule," a regulation that proposes in detail how the states should limit
global warming emissions from power plants.* The model rule in draft form
was made available for public comment in the spring, and the now final rule
includes some important improvements based on comments from the public.

Each state—Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Maine, New Hampshire, New
Jersey, New York and Vermont—must now set up its own law for implementing
the required emissions reductions. Depending on the state, the rule might be
approved through administrative rule-making, through legislation, or by some
combination of the two. *The model rule left many important issues to be
resolved by the states, so UCS and our allies will work to ensure that RGGI
actually achieves heat-trapping gas emission reductions*.

RGGI is an important component of the effort to avoid the most dangerous
consequences of a changing climate. Since the RGGI agreement pertains only
to the northeast region, however, UCS will also work to leverage this
historic pact into strong federal action that will reduce our national
heat-trapping emissions.

*More on This Issue*

This landmark program was initiated in April 2003, when New York Governor
George E. Pataki called on governors of northeastern states to work together
to reduce global warming pollution from power plants. Nine governors
committed to participate in this effort.

After extended negotiations, seven states—Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, New
Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, and Vermont—officially agreed about the
framework of RGGI on December 20, 2005. Maryland joined the pact on March
31, 2006. Although both Massachusetts and Rhode Island were active
participants in the design of the RGGI framework, Governors of both states
withdrew from the agreement at the last minute. The RGGI framework, however,
includes a clear method for Massachusetts and Rhode Island to rejoin this
effort—simply by informing the other RGGI states of their intention and
agreeing to the established rules. The Massachusetts legislature has now
begun this process.

*The RGGI plan provides a flexible and cost-effective means for power
companies to achieve their emissions reduction target while simultaneously
offering incentives for energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies.
* The agreement calls on these states to stabilize carbon dioxide emissions
from the region's power plants at current, 2005 levels from 2009 to the
start of 2015, followed by a 10 percent reduction in emissions by 2019. In
order to accomplish this, the emissions allowed under the new cap will then
be divided up into individual permits and allocated by each state.

For the next step in the process, now that the states have agreed on the
final rules, each state will seek to implement the program before December
2008.

Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative
website<http://ucsaction.org/ct/i12Rml11xm7v/>

Thanks for all your support and watch for further updates and alerts on RGGI
in the coming months.

Sincerely,

Jean Sideris
National Field Organizer
Global Environment Program

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