9 States in Plan to Cut Emission
Published: August 24, 2005
"We're not going to solve the problem of global warming in the Northeastern states," said Dale S. Bryk, a senior attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council who has been watching the regional effort since it was proposed by Governor Pataki in a letter to the other governors in April 2003. "but we're showing that we have the American ingenuity to do this and we're setting a precedent in terms of the design of the program."
As outlined in the draft, the regional carbon dioxide control plan would set specific caps on emissions that would drop over time.
The hope is that by providing long-range incentives for the electric generating companies to comply, the program will make improvements more cost-effective.
Emissions would be capped at 150 million tons of carbon dioxide a year, a figure that is about equal to the average emissions in the highest three years between 2000 and 2004. Each of the nine states would have its own cap. New York's, at 65.6 million tons, would be the largest. Vermont's would be the smallest, with 1.35 million tons.
The caps would be enforced starting in 2009. By that time, restricting emissions to levels prevailing now would, in effect, require a reduction of emissions relative to power output, because electric generation is expected to increase between now and then. The 150 million-ton cap would be sustained through 2015, when reductions would be required, reaching 10 percent in 2020. The Kyoto protocol freezes emissions at the 1990 level and imposes a 7 percent reduction in 2012.
Environmentalists say there are too many variables involved to directly compare the two programs, but they are believed to achieve roughly the same kind of carbon reductions. However, some environmentalists are disappointed with the draft plan. They argue that much deeper cuts were achievable.
"Its good that they are going to be talking about actual reductions," said Robert J. Moore, executive director of Environmental Advocates of New York. "However, the targets that are being contemplated, though a positive step, are somewhat less than ambitious."
Gavin J. Donohue, president of the Independent Power Producers of New York, said that meeting the proposed caps "would be very difficult" for electric generators in New York, especially now that the price of oil has soared.
Mr. Donohue, who once worked for Governor Pataki in the Department of Environmental Conservation, said that his principal concern was assuring that the limits will not put electric generators in New York and the other states at a competitive disadvantage with states that were not constrained.
The Bush administration's rejection of the Kyoto Protocols has caused deep divisions nationwide, with many local governments attempting to force the administration to taking action by passing their own carbon dioxide rules.
Earlier this year, for example, the mayors of more than 130 cities, including New York and Los Angeles, joined in a bipartisan coalition to fight global warming on a local level by agreeing to meet the emissions reductions contained in the international pact.
NY Times: "One part of the proposal that is not yet final deals with the sale of emission allowances under a cap-and-trade system. Such systems allow generating companies that have not used all of their emission quotas to sell the right to emit more pollution to competitors. In this way, the total amount of pollution can be controlled, while the economic viability of the companies is protected.
When this system was used in Europe, the carbon dioxide allowances were given to the generating companies. The Northeastern states are considering withholding some allowances and selling them to the generating companies. "
What? This is so old already!!! Same here downunder!
Pile of ...crapola ! ...so to speak. (or am I reading this wrongly ?)
mumble mumble... ... ...
Forum 
