State Actions to Address Global Warming

							State Actions to Address Global
           Warming
                 Background
• State leadership esp in NE and West Coast is
  filling vacuum created by absence at federal level
• Several initiatives underway to blend
  environmental, energy and economic interests
• States “get it”: early adopters morphing into
  competitive advantage
• Focus here on: State action plans on both coasts
             States Are Acting:
• Defensively:
  – Sense of urgency; exposure to climate risks
  – Protecting existing economies
• Offensively:
  – Learning curve; early adopters secure competitive
    advantage
• Aggressively to protect:
  – Public Health
  – Quality of Life
• Significant relative impact
• Prior success leading by example
     How can the states make a
           difference?

• Build on decades of cooperation on
  environmental problem solving
• Templates: OTR NOx budget and CAAA
  acid rain programs
• Experience in utility sector
• Understanding of energy markets
        State Climate Actions
             Proliferating
• Oregon: 1997:first law requiring new power
  plants to offset CO2 emissions
• Massachusetts: 2001: first “4-P” regulation,
  requiring 10% cut below baseline
• New Hampshire: 1999: first registry law:
  2002, also passed 4-P law
  State Actions Proliferating [2]
• California: 2001: first functioning registry
  law; 2004: regulations to require CO2
  performance standard for vehicles
• Maine: 2003: first law requiring economy
  wide CO2 reductions to 1990 level by 2010
• Connecticut: progress from “laggard to
  leader in 15 months”: next slides
   Status of Connecticut’s Plan
• Legislation passed: clean cars, appliance
  efficiency, mandatory registry, annual
  reporting, hybrid vehicle tax exemption,
  buy local produce
• Executive Order requires RE purchase
• Green power licensing procedure complete
• Performance based DG rule complete
• Status report due to legislature 1/1/05