NY Governor Spitzer unveils cutting-edge global warming regulations
by: StopGlobalWarming.org 25 October 2007
Fulfilling his pledge to provide sound environmental stewardship, Governor Eliot Spitzer today unveiled new draft regulations to carry out a cutting-edge regional program that will cut greenhouse gases emitted by New York power plants. Today, New York issued draft regulations for implementing the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI).
RGGI is an agreement by 10 Northeastern states to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Under RGGI, participating states will each issue their own regulations, and when fully implemented RGGI will achieve a 16 percent reduction in emissions from projected business-as-usual emissions. Under the groundbreaking draft regulations established by Governor Spitzer, a power plant would have to buy enough carbon credits or allowances (one allowance per ton of emissions) to cover its emissions in a flexible, market-based system that are similar to those used to combat acid rain.
"Global warming is the most significant environmental problem of our generation, and by helping lead this regional program, we can reduce emissions from power plants - one of the main sources of carbon dioxide emissions in the Northeast," said Governor Spitzer. "Absent federal leadership, states across the nation are taking action to cut greenhouse gas emissions and reduce their impact on the environment. This is a new approach and one that should be replicated at the federal level."
In a major departure from previous programs, the state will not simply give away allowances to power plants. From the start, companies will have to buy allowances through an auction for every ton of carbon dioxide they emit. New York was the first state to advocate auctioning off 100 percent of its pollution allowances - a strategy that most other RGGI states will likely follow.
Power plants pump out 25 percent of the total annual carbon dioxide emitted in New York State. For the initial six years of the RGGI program, carbon emissions will be capped at current levels. In 2015 and in each of the subsequent three years, the cap will be reduced by 2.5 percent for an overall reduction of 10 percent.
Proceeds from the auction would go toward energy efficiency programs and renewable energy projects. The program would also provide opportunities for power companies to offset their emissions through other "green" investments.
Senator Martin Connor said: "I praise Governor Spitzer for his leadership in announcing New York State's plans for the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. New York will be in the vanguard of leading the nation and the Northeast by creating innovative policies to clean our environment, air and water, by reducing carbon emissions, and by using energy from our power plants more efficiently and effectively. The recommendations being discussed today will make our city and state a healthier place for our children and their children to live in well into the 21st Century and beyond."
Senator Liz Krueger said: "We all need to face the reality of global warming, as well as our responsibility both as individuals and as a state to address this crisis. I am gratified that Governor Spitzer is acting aggressively to make New York State a leader in the fight to reduce greenhouse gases."
City Council Speaker Christine Quinn said: "The City Council has been working to increase energy efficiency in buildings, which account for nearly 80 percent of New York City's global warming emissions, and to reduce congestion and vehicle emissions on our streets. But the only way we're going to fully address global warming on a statewide level is by reducing greenhouse gases produced by our power plants. The Governor's plan will fight global warming, both by reducing CO2 emissions and by investing in green, renewable energy sources, and I am proud to support his efforts."
Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz said: "Bravo to Governor Spitzer for striking this blow against global warning and greenhouse gas emissions—and for recognizing that with a little courage, being ‘green' is much easier than people think. Here in cutting-edge Brooklyn, we're proud of our solar-powered subway terminal at Stillwell Avenue in Coney Island, our co-gen co-ops in Clinton Hill, our huge new green roof in Red Hook, our food justice efforts in East New York—the kinds of sustainable initiatives that have the rest of the country saying ‘Brooklyn, NYC, and New York State — How green it is!'"
Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Conservation Pete Grannis said: "Global warming is the issue of our time. It's a problem that demands the attention and the action of every government body, every business and every citizen. With these regulations, we will be attacking it in three ways: first, reducing emissions; second, fostering energy efficiencies and conservation, and third, spurring the development of clean and renewable sources of energy."
Paul Tonko, President of NYSERDA, said: "NYSERDA is pleased to be a part of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and partner with the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic States involved. We are steadfast in our commitment to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and combat global warming. New York State has been committed to moving toward a clean energy economy, and addressing the impact of greenhouse gas emissions plays a vital role in that effort, as well as the future of our environment."
Peter Lehner, Executive Director of the Natural Resources Defense Council, said: "This is a win-win-win policy for New Yorkers and our environment that also sends a signal that will resonate from Washington to Wall Street about the future of energy and emissions performance. It establishes a concrete limit on global warming pollution from power plants while generating a major new investment stream for cleaner, more efficient energy technologies. The sky belongs to all of us. Companies shouldn't be allowed to use it as a free, private dumping ground. These rules will ensure that polluters pay their fair share for the emissions they put into our atmosphere."
Laurence DeWitt, Pace Energy Project Senior Analyst, said: "We applaud Governor Spitzer for his willingness to act now to confront one of our state's and nation's great economic and environmental threats. Governor Spitzer was the first national figure to support a 100 percent auction of carbon dioxide allowances - a position he took when he was New York's Attorney General."
Jason K. Babbie, Environmental Policy Analyst for the NY Public Interest Research Group, the state's leading consumer and environmental organization said: "Global warming is turning up the heat on the need for bold pollution reduction solutions, and Governor's Spitzer's draft regulations provide a way to decrease pollution while making polluters pay. These are the types of solutions that New Yorkers need."
David Manning, Executive Vice President of National Grid, said: "We understand the urgency of addressing climate change and have established our own goal to reduce our world-wide greenhouse gas emissions 60 percent by 2050. As owner of over 6,500 megawatts of primarily low carbon natural gas powered generation in New York, we have actively supported the RGGI process since its inception and we applaud Governor Spitzer and Commissioner Grannis for continuing to lead the charge to reduce CO2 emissions in the Northeast. We believe the 100 percent auctioning of allowances and use of such proceeds to facilitate energy efficiency programs is an appropriate approach for reducing energy demand. We look forwarding to reviewing the details of the draft regulations and to working with DEC and NYSERDA to make the final NY RGGI rule an example for the nation to follow."
Carol Murphy, Executive Director of the Alliance for Clean Energy New York, said: "By auctioning 100% of all allowances and using these funds to encourage energy efficiency and investment in clean energy resources, we are taking essential steps forward to making New York green again. Once again, New York is leading the way on an important policy that benefits us all. It is essential that we continue to seek new and innovative ways to encourage use of clean energy in order to protect our environment, cut our dependence on foreign oil and promote economic development in our State."
Under RGGI, annual emissions of carbon dioxide from New York power plants 25 megawatts and larger would be capped at 64.3 million tons from 2009 through 2014. From 2015 to 2019, emissions would be reduced by 10 percent. This will achieve a 16 percent reduction from projected business-as-usual emissions.
"By design, this plan creates winners and losers. Older, less efficient power plants with higher emission levels will pay more to comply with RGGI than newer, more efficient units," added Governor Spitzer. "Dirty generators will be at a competitive disadvantage, and there will be a new incentive to build clean, efficient or renewable generation."
The draft regulations are the culmination of dozens of public meetings, which included energy industry representatives, between 2003 and 2007.
RGGI is part of a regional strategy to combat global warming. Under the draft regulations, power plants will have to procure enough allowances or "offsets" to meet their actual emissions over a three-year period. In order to ensure that the cost of compliance does not increase dramatically, the state would permit generators to use offsets to account for up to 3.3 percent of their overall emissions. Offsets are greenhouse gas emission reduction projects from outside the electricity sector. For example, generators could choose from a number of projects -- from planting trees on land where there are none to landfill gas recapture -- to removing a corresponding amount of CO2 from the atmosphere. Offset projects provide generators with additional flexibility to meet their compliance obligations.
Other states participating in RGGI include: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland. Each state is given allowances to approximately match current emissions; each state has discretion to allocate up to 75 percent of their allowances. Maine and Massachusetts recently published their proposed regulations, which call for an auction of 100 percent of allowances.
The release of the draft regulations kicks off a 60-day public comment period that ends on December 24th. Public hearings will be held on December 10th in Albany, December 11th in Ray Brook in the Adirondacks, December 12th in New York City and December 13th in Avon.
The draft regulations are available at: www.dec.ny.gov.
Friday, October 26, 2007
What is global warming?
Global warming isn’t opinion. It’s a scientific reality. And the science tells us that human activity has made enormous impacts to our planet that affect our well-being and even our survival as a species.
The world’s leading science journals report that glaciers are melting ten times faster than previously thought, that atmospheric greenhouse gases have reached levels not seen for millions of years, and that species are vanishing as a result of climate change. They also report of extreme weather events, long-term droughts, and rising sea levels.
Fortunately, the science also tells us how we can begin to make significant repairs to try and reverse those impacts, but only through immediate action. That’s why we urge you to join us. The Stop Global Warming Virtual March is virtual but its purpose is real. By spreading the word and sharing this with others, our collective power will force governments, corporations, and politicians everywhere to pay attention.
What is Global Warming?
The Earth as an ecosystem is changing, attributable in great part to the effects of globalization and man. More carbon dioxide is now in the atmosphere than has been in the past 650,000 years. This carbon stays in the atmosphere, acts like a warm blanket, and holds in the heat — hence the name ‘global warming.’
The reason we exist on this planet is because the earth naturally traps just enough heat in the atmosphere to keep the temperature within a very narrow range - this creates the conditions that give us breathable air, clean water, and the weather we depend on to survive. Human beings have begun to tip that balance. We've overloaded the atmosphere with heat-trapping gasses from our cars and factories and power plants. If we don't start fixing the problem now, we’re in for devastating changes to our environment. We will experience extreme temperatures, rises in sea levels, and storms of unimaginable destructive fury. Recently, alarming events that are consistent with scientific predictions about the effects of climate change have become more and more commonplace.
Environmental Destruction
The massive ice sheets in the Arctic are melting at alarming rates. This is causing the oceans to rise. That’s how big these ice sheets are! Most of the world’s population lives on or near the coasts. Rising ocean levels, an estimated six feet over the next 100 years or sooner, will cause massive devastation and economic catastrophe to population centers worldwide.
The United States, with only four percent of the world’s population, is responsible for 22% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. A rapid transition to energy efficiency and renewable energy sources will combat global warming, protect human health, create new jobs, protect habitat and wildlife, and ensure a secure, affordable energy future.
Health Risks
Malaria. Dengue Fever. Encephalitis. These names are not usually heard in emergency rooms and doctors’ offices in the United States. But if we don’t act to curb global warming, they will be. As temperatures rise, disease-carrying mosquitoes and rodents spread, infecting people in their wake. Doctors at the Harvard Medical School have linked recent U.S. outbreaks of dengue fever, malaria, hantavirus and other diseases directly to climate change.
Catastrophic Weather
Super powerful hurricanes, fueled by warmer ocean temperatures are the “smoking gun” of global warming. Since 1970, the number of category 4 and 5 events has jumped sharply. Human activities are adding an alarming amount of pollution to the earth’s atmosphere causing catastrophic shifts in weather patterns. These shifts are causing severe heat, floods and worse.
Five Things We Can All Do
- Join StopGlobalWarming.org. Together our voices will be heard!
- Spread the word, share the learning. Send this link to family, friends, and colleagues. Share why this is so important.
- Change begins at home. (See the list home-related Action Items)
- Put the heat on your elected officials.
- The power of the pocketbook.
The world’s leading science journals report that glaciers are melting ten times faster than previously thought, that atmospheric greenhouse gases have reached levels not seen for millions of years, and that species are vanishing as a result of climate change. They also report of extreme weather events, long-term droughts, and rising sea levels.
Fortunately, the science also tells us how we can begin to make significant repairs to try and reverse those impacts, but only through immediate action. That’s why we urge you to join us. The Stop Global Warming Virtual March is virtual but its purpose is real. By spreading the word and sharing this with others, our collective power will force governments, corporations, and politicians everywhere to pay attention.
What is Global Warming?
The Earth as an ecosystem is changing, attributable in great part to the effects of globalization and man. More carbon dioxide is now in the atmosphere than has been in the past 650,000 years. This carbon stays in the atmosphere, acts like a warm blanket, and holds in the heat — hence the name ‘global warming.’
The reason we exist on this planet is because the earth naturally traps just enough heat in the atmosphere to keep the temperature within a very narrow range - this creates the conditions that give us breathable air, clean water, and the weather we depend on to survive. Human beings have begun to tip that balance. We've overloaded the atmosphere with heat-trapping gasses from our cars and factories and power plants. If we don't start fixing the problem now, we’re in for devastating changes to our environment. We will experience extreme temperatures, rises in sea levels, and storms of unimaginable destructive fury. Recently, alarming events that are consistent with scientific predictions about the effects of climate change have become more and more commonplace.
Environmental Destruction
The massive ice sheets in the Arctic are melting at alarming rates. This is causing the oceans to rise. That’s how big these ice sheets are! Most of the world’s population lives on or near the coasts. Rising ocean levels, an estimated six feet over the next 100 years or sooner, will cause massive devastation and economic catastrophe to population centers worldwide.
The United States, with only four percent of the world’s population, is responsible for 22% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. A rapid transition to energy efficiency and renewable energy sources will combat global warming, protect human health, create new jobs, protect habitat and wildlife, and ensure a secure, affordable energy future.
Health Risks
Malaria. Dengue Fever. Encephalitis. These names are not usually heard in emergency rooms and doctors’ offices in the United States. But if we don’t act to curb global warming, they will be. As temperatures rise, disease-carrying mosquitoes and rodents spread, infecting people in their wake. Doctors at the Harvard Medical School have linked recent U.S. outbreaks of dengue fever, malaria, hantavirus and other diseases directly to climate change.
Catastrophic Weather
Super powerful hurricanes, fueled by warmer ocean temperatures are the “smoking gun” of global warming. Since 1970, the number of category 4 and 5 events has jumped sharply. Human activities are adding an alarming amount of pollution to the earth’s atmosphere causing catastrophic shifts in weather patterns. These shifts are causing severe heat, floods and worse.
Five Things We Can All Do
- Join StopGlobalWarming.org. Together our voices will be heard!
- Spread the word, share the learning. Send this link to family, friends, and colleagues. Share why this is so important.
- Change begins at home. (See the list home-related Action Items)
- Put the heat on your elected officials.
- The power of the pocketbook.
Safe world with these actions
Take Action!
The Stop Global Warming calculator shows you how much carbon dioxide you can prevent from being released into the atmosphere and how much money you can save by making some small changes in your daily life. It’s our hope that the calculator will promote action, awareness and empowerment by showing you that one person can make a difference and help stop global warming.
There are many simple things you can do in your daily life — what you eat, what you drive, how you build your home — that can have an effect on your immediate surrounding, and on places as far away as Antactica. Here is a list of few things that you can do to make a difference.
Use Compact Fluorescent Bulbs
Replace 3 frequently used light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. Save 300 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $60 per year. Take the Energy Star pledge.
Inflate Your Tires
Keep the tires on your car adequately inflated. Check them monthly. Save 250 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $840 per year.
Change Your Air Filter
Check your car's air filter monthly. Save 800 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $130 per year.
Fill the Dishwasher
Run your dishwasher only with a full load. Save 100 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $40 per year.
Use Recycled Paper
Make sure your printer paper is 100% post consumer recycled paper. Save 5 lbs. of carbon dioxide per ream of paper.
Adjust Your Thermostat
Move your heater thermostat down two degrees in winter and up two degrees in the summer. Save 2000 lbs of carbon dioxide and $98 per year.
Check Your Waterheater
Keep your water heater thermostat no higher than 120°F. Save 550 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $30 per year.
Change the AC Filter
Clean or replace dirty air conditioner filters as recommended. Save 350 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $150 per year.
Take Shorter Showers
Showers account for 2/3 of all water heating costs. Save 350 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $99 per year.
Install a Low-Flow Showerhead
Using less water in the shower means less energy to heat the water. Save 350 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $150.
Buy Products Locally
Buy locally and reduce the amount of energy required to drive your products to your store.
Buy Energy Certificates
Help spur the renewable energy market and cut global warming pollution by buying wind certificates and green tags.
Buy Minimally Packaged Goods
Less packaging could reduce your garbage by about 10%. Save 1,200 pounds of carbon dioxide and $1,000 per year.
Buy a Hybrid Car
The average driver could save 16,000 lbs. of CO2 and $3,750 per year driving a hybrid
Buy a Fuel Efficient Car
Getting a few extra miles per gallon makes a big difference. Save thousands of lbs. of CO2 and a lot of money per year.
Carpool When You Can
Own a big vehicle? Carpooling with friends and co-workers saves fuel. Save 790 lbs. of carbon dioxide and hundreds of dollars per year.
Don't Idle in Your Car
Idling wastes money and gas, and generates pollution and global warming causing emissions. Except when in traffic, turn your engine off if you must wait for more than 30 seconds.
Reduce Garbage
Buy products with less packaging and recycle paper, plastic and glass. Save 1,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide per year.
Plant a Tree
Trees suck up carbon dioxide and make clean air for us to breathe. Save 2,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide per year.
Insulate Your Water Heater
Keep your water heater insulated could save 1,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $40 per year.
Replace Old Appliances
Inefficient appliances waste energy. Save hundreds of lbs. of carbon dioxide and hundreds of dollars per year.
Weatherize Your Home
Caulk and weather strip your doorways and windows. Save 1,700 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $274 per year.
Use a Push Mower
Use your muscles instead of fossil fuels and get some exercise. Save 80 lbs of carbon dioxide per year.
Unplug Un-Used Electronics
Even when electronic devices are turned off, they use energy. Save over 1,000 lbs of carbon dioxide and $256 per year.
Put on a Sweater
Instead of turning up the heat in your home, wear more clothes Save 1,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $250 per year.
Insulate Your Home
Make sure your walls and ceilings are insulated. Save 2,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $245 per year.
Air Dry Your Clothes
Line-dry your clothes in the spring and summer instead of using the dryer. Save 700 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $75 per year.
Switch to a Tankless Water Heater
Your water will be heated as you use it rather than keeping a tank of hot water. Save 300 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $390 per year.
Switch to Double Pane Windows
Double pane windows keep more heat inside your home so you use less energy. Save 10,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $436 per year.
Buy Organic Food
The chemicals used in modern agriculture pollute the water supply, and require energy to produce.
Bring Cloth Bags to the Market
Using your own cloth bag instead of plastic or paper bags reduces waste and requires no additional energy.
Buy The Bracelet
Made from 100% scrap leather by Roots — 100% of net proceeds go the Stop Global Warming Fund.
Turn off Your Computer
Shut off your computer when not in use, and save 200 lbs of C02. Conserve energy by using your computer's "sleep mode" instead of a screensaver.
The Stop Global Warming calculator shows you how much carbon dioxide you can prevent from being released into the atmosphere and how much money you can save by making some small changes in your daily life. It’s our hope that the calculator will promote action, awareness and empowerment by showing you that one person can make a difference and help stop global warming.
There are many simple things you can do in your daily life — what you eat, what you drive, how you build your home — that can have an effect on your immediate surrounding, and on places as far away as Antactica. Here is a list of few things that you can do to make a difference.
Use Compact Fluorescent Bulbs
Replace 3 frequently used light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. Save 300 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $60 per year. Take the Energy Star pledge.
Inflate Your Tires
Keep the tires on your car adequately inflated. Check them monthly. Save 250 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $840 per year.
Change Your Air Filter
Check your car's air filter monthly. Save 800 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $130 per year.
Fill the Dishwasher
Run your dishwasher only with a full load. Save 100 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $40 per year.
Use Recycled Paper
Make sure your printer paper is 100% post consumer recycled paper. Save 5 lbs. of carbon dioxide per ream of paper.
Adjust Your Thermostat
Move your heater thermostat down two degrees in winter and up two degrees in the summer. Save 2000 lbs of carbon dioxide and $98 per year.
Check Your Waterheater
Keep your water heater thermostat no higher than 120°F. Save 550 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $30 per year.
Change the AC Filter
Clean or replace dirty air conditioner filters as recommended. Save 350 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $150 per year.
Take Shorter Showers
Showers account for 2/3 of all water heating costs. Save 350 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $99 per year.
Install a Low-Flow Showerhead
Using less water in the shower means less energy to heat the water. Save 350 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $150.
Buy Products Locally
Buy locally and reduce the amount of energy required to drive your products to your store.
Buy Energy Certificates
Help spur the renewable energy market and cut global warming pollution by buying wind certificates and green tags.
Buy Minimally Packaged Goods
Less packaging could reduce your garbage by about 10%. Save 1,200 pounds of carbon dioxide and $1,000 per year.
Buy a Hybrid Car
The average driver could save 16,000 lbs. of CO2 and $3,750 per year driving a hybrid
Buy a Fuel Efficient Car
Getting a few extra miles per gallon makes a big difference. Save thousands of lbs. of CO2 and a lot of money per year.
Carpool When You Can
Own a big vehicle? Carpooling with friends and co-workers saves fuel. Save 790 lbs. of carbon dioxide and hundreds of dollars per year.
Don't Idle in Your Car
Idling wastes money and gas, and generates pollution and global warming causing emissions. Except when in traffic, turn your engine off if you must wait for more than 30 seconds.
Reduce Garbage
Buy products with less packaging and recycle paper, plastic and glass. Save 1,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide per year.
Plant a Tree
Trees suck up carbon dioxide and make clean air for us to breathe. Save 2,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide per year.
Insulate Your Water Heater
Keep your water heater insulated could save 1,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $40 per year.
Replace Old Appliances
Inefficient appliances waste energy. Save hundreds of lbs. of carbon dioxide and hundreds of dollars per year.
Weatherize Your Home
Caulk and weather strip your doorways and windows. Save 1,700 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $274 per year.
Use a Push Mower
Use your muscles instead of fossil fuels and get some exercise. Save 80 lbs of carbon dioxide per year.
Unplug Un-Used Electronics
Even when electronic devices are turned off, they use energy. Save over 1,000 lbs of carbon dioxide and $256 per year.
Put on a Sweater
Instead of turning up the heat in your home, wear more clothes Save 1,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $250 per year.
Insulate Your Home
Make sure your walls and ceilings are insulated. Save 2,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $245 per year.
Air Dry Your Clothes
Line-dry your clothes in the spring and summer instead of using the dryer. Save 700 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $75 per year.
Switch to a Tankless Water Heater
Your water will be heated as you use it rather than keeping a tank of hot water. Save 300 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $390 per year.
Switch to Double Pane Windows
Double pane windows keep more heat inside your home so you use less energy. Save 10,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $436 per year.
Buy Organic Food
The chemicals used in modern agriculture pollute the water supply, and require energy to produce.
Bring Cloth Bags to the Market
Using your own cloth bag instead of plastic or paper bags reduces waste and requires no additional energy.
Buy The Bracelet
Made from 100% scrap leather by Roots — 100% of net proceeds go the Stop Global Warming Fund.
Turn off Your Computer
Shut off your computer when not in use, and save 200 lbs of C02. Conserve energy by using your computer's "sleep mode" instead of a screensaver.
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