Environment DEC
From the June 2004 issue
Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Moves Forward
New York State Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative stakeholders met in Albany
recently to discuss the best ways to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from power plants in the northeast
On May 18, the initial Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) New York stakeholder meeting took place at DEC's Albany Office. The meeting was an important step in a process that seeks constructive input from many different sectors - government, industry, environmental groups, and other interested parties.
What is RGGI?
RGGI is a cooperative effort by 11 northeast states, from Maine to Maryland, to design, by April 2005, a flexible, market-based, cap-and-trade program to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from power plants in the region. The effort was launched in April 2003, when Governor Pataki extended an invitation to the governors of the other 10 northeast states to participate in the development of this regional cap-and-trade program. This regional strategy will more effectively control greenhouse gases, which are not bound by state or national borders. The primary goal of the program is to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from power plants in participating states, while maintaining energy affordability and reliability and accommodating, to the extent feasible, the diversity in policies and programs in individual states.
Forty-four stakeholders who attended the Albany meeting were able to hear about the progress being made, become informed of the opportunities to participate, and discuss the RGGI with other New York State participants and staff from DEC and the Department of Public Service (DPS). These stakeholders will be instrumental in contributing to the development of the proposed program, and this process will help foster partnerships to continue improving public health and the environment through reductions in carbon dioxide emissions.
Multi-State Effort
DEC and DPS are conducting the New York State Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (NYS-RGGI) to supplement the multi-state RGGI stakeholder process. The purpose of the NYS RGGI is to help New York stakeholders more effectively participate in the RGGI process by providing pertinent technical information, identifying issues to be taken up by the RGGI Stakeholder Group and State Working Group, and providing opportunities for New York stakeholders to discuss these issues with state agency staff and New York stakeholder representatives to the multi-state level.
Next Steps and More Information
The next NYS-RGGI meeting is scheduled for August 4, 2004 in Albany. Persons interested in attending should request to be placed on the process mailing list by e-mailing their contact information to nyrggi@gw.dec.state.ny.us or by calling (518) 444-8044.
