Environmental Law

Connecticut, New Hampshire, Join States' Parade to Curb Greenhouse Gases

By Dennis Pfaff and Kevin Livingston, Editors

Connecticut and New Hampshire have become two of the latest states to move forward on their own to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Recently, Connecticut Gov. M. Jodi Rell signed HB 5600, a bill that sets a goal of dramatically slashing the output of the heat-trapping gases by 2050. New Hampshire this week joined a regional initiative with nine other states, including Connecticut, to take a market-based approach to controlling the emissions. 

In a statement, Rell (pictured), a Republican, said that her state "continues to lead by example" regarding its environmental efforts. She added:

"This new law requires actions that will benefit not just Connecticut but the entire nation by decreasing pollution, saving energy and reducing our dependency on foreign fuel. By capping greenhouse gas emissions, we will reduce our carbon footprint, conserve energy and improve air quality in Connecticut while leading the way for the rest of the nation.”

Meanwhile on Wednesday, New Hampshire enacted a law to join the the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, which is creating a cap-and-trade program intended to reduce greenhouse emissions from electrical power generation across the Mid-Atlantic part of the nation.  In a statement issued when he signed HB 1434,  New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch, a Democrat, said global warming could harm the state's critical tourism and agriculture industries, and that it could not wait for national policies to be enacted.

Although some concerns have been raised about the impact on utility rates, a story in the Manchester Union-Leader noted that only if the state is part of the regional plan would it share in electricity conservation funds the program is expected to generate. 
 

The Connecticut legislation also authorizes the state's Department of Environmental Protection to work with other states and Canadian provinces to develop a cap-and-trade program to reduce emissions. Work on such a system appears to be moving forward quickly. The RGGI compact, which is setting up an emissions trading system as part of its cap-and-trade program, is scheduled to hold the nation's first-of-its-kind auction of emissions credits in September. 

Connecticut and New Hampshire, of course, are following a path blazed by other states, notably California, with its 2006 law AB 32 and even more far-reaching executive order signed three years ago by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. In recent months, as Climate Law Update has reported, somewhat similar efforts have been taken by a number of other states, including Vermont and  Washington. Maryland, which has taken some steps along those lines, also has had under consideration legislation to directly curb greenhouse gases.

Other states, including Hawaii and New Jersey last year enacted laws committing the states to reducing emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. Still more states, including California and others, are taking steps to green their power supplies through renewables portfolio standards. Indeed, such  efforts eventually may help spur action on a national level, as Climate Law Update has also noted.

Connecticut's law sets a requirement that the state cut greenhouse emissions 10 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 and 80 percent below 2001 levels by 2050. California's actions, by way of comparison, call for reducing such pollution to 1990 levels by 2020, about a 25 percent cut from current amounts, and for achieving an 80 percent reduction from 1990 levels by 2050.

The new Connecticut law also includes several other elements, including:

• A requirement that the environmental department publish a baseline inventory of greenhouse emissions and recommend actions to achieve the targeted cuts;
• Another requirement that the agency evaluate the potential of low-carbon fuel standards for motor vehicles and home heating fuels;
• The establishment of a new state subcommittee to advise the governor and the state Legislature on climate change impacts and which would recommend changes in state and local laws or regulations to adapt to those impacts, or mitigate them.

 (Photo credit: Office of Gov. M. Jodi Rell)

Full post as published by Climate Law Update on June 12, 2008 (boomark / email).