Governor Leads on Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative

Governor Leads on Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative

Governor John Baldacci today announced Maine's partnership in an important multi-state agreement to reduce regional greenhouse gas emissions. The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) to be signed by seven northeast states will create the first mandatory cap-and-trade system for carbon dioxide emissions in U.S. history, utilizing credits or allowances to limit the total amount of emissions.

"This agreement protects the health and welfare of our citizens," said Governor Baldacci. "Nothing is more important than protecting the air our children breathe and the water our children drink. Maine is leading by example to protect our energy and environmental resources, and RGGI is another crucial step."

Maine is the first state to measure and track greenhouse gas emissions from state energy use. Under Governor Baldacci's plan, Maine has reduced state government's emissions eight percent in two years:

o Increasing the state's renewable power purchase;

o Improving fleet fuel economy and reducing vehicle-miles-traveled by state employees;

o Reducing energy usage in state buildings through efficiency investments; and

o Using biodiesel to heat state office buildings cooperative effort to protect the health and well-being of us all from the dangerous effects of climate change.

Under the RGGI agreement, emissions of carbon dioxide from power plants in the region would be capped at current levels starting in 2009, with states then reducing emissions incrementally over a four-year period to achieve a 10 percent reduction by 2019. Any price impacts of this program are expected to be minimal. It also is anticipated that RGGI will generate significant new investments in innovative and cleaner technologies and energy efficiency, which could lower electricity rates.

The participating states - Maine, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware, New Hampshire and Vermont - plan to issue a draft model regulation for public review and comment in early 2006. Each individual state will then proceed with the required legislative or regulatory approvals to adopt the program. In Maine, the Department of Environmental Protection will convene a stakeholder group to develop a draft rule.

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