Beam me to Planet Gore !
Posted on 11/10/2010 9:49:32 AM PST by EBH
The New Mexico Environmental Improvement Board (EIB) adopted by a vote of four to three the most comprehensive greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution reduction regulations in the nation. The rules, proposed by the New Mexico Environment Department, will reduce global warming pollutants through a regional cap on GHG emissions.
“Addressing climate change immediately is the right thing to do—I am pleased that the EIB adopted the program I have worked so hard to develop,” Governor Bill Richardson said. “I call on the federal government to build on New Mexico’s program and the WCI to implement a national cap-and-trade system.”
“I applaud the board’s leadership and its willingness to take a stand for New Mexico’s future,” said New Mexico Environment Department Secretary Ron Curry. “This is a great opportunity to promote the state’s clean energy economy by reducing dangerous greenhouse gas emissions.”
The program, which is scheduled to start in 2012, will affect about 63 large industrial sources in New Mexico. Those sources include electric generators and the largest emission sources in the oil and gas sector. Each source would have to reduce its emissions by 2% per year until 2020 or acquire emissions credits from other participants. The program will not be triggered unless at least 100 million on tons of emissions are included regionally, which ensures that New Mexico will not implement a trading program alone. The program would have to be more than four times larger than New Mexico’s annual emissions of approximately 24 million tons.
The program is designed to contain costs to industry and consumers through several mechanisms, including the free allocation of pollution allowances to regulated sources; trading of allowances to allow the market to find the lowest-cost emission reductions; a generous offset program which allows sectors that are not under the cap to implement low-cost reduction measures; and a delay in turning in allowances until 2015. Economic analyses show a modest net benefit to the New Mexico economy as a result of reducing GHG emissions and promoting clean energy jobs.
“We have worked very hard to propose a rule that both contains costs for industry and consumers while simultaneously maintaining the environmental integrity of the program,” said New Mexico Environment Department Deputy Secretary Sarah Cottrell.
The Governor and State Legislature need to get rid of this one way or another. How about double the size of the board and filling it with their people?
Several midwestern states along with Ontario are part of some carbon reductions compact.
The Legislature turned this down twice. Gov. Richardson then initiated this effort by executive order and stacked the Board with environmentalist, it is my belief that the new Gov. who will take office on 1 Jan will eliminate the Board and reverse their decision.
Remember this the next time someone tries to argue that Bill Richardson is such a clever, smart guy.
In a totally unrelated story, NM unemployment has risen from 7.8% to 8.2% over the past year, as local businesses move out of state or choose to expand elsewhere.
NM Ping
The new incoming governor may have something to say about this.
Anyone catch what this is really about? Here’s a clue:
“The program is designed to contain costs to industry and consumers through several mechanisms, including the free allocation of pollution allowances to regulated sources;”
Ah, so government controlled (”regulated”) sources will get a pass, while private sector ones won’t. What a shock. NOT!
I feel like burning some tires!
In a related story:
“Texas is open for Business”.
If you wish to relocate your business, FreepMail me and we can get ‘r done.
Thanks for the PING!
It isn’t going to stand. It has no support except for Richardson and his environutters. Even the Lt. Gov (who lost her race for gov) was against it and the ABQ Journal has editorialized that it needs to be repealed.
Interestingly enough, testimony at the hearing was pretty much limited to the economic costs; the premise that the underlying science was flawed was not discussed to any great extent. As a scientist myself, that makes me furious that the official record does not contain lengthy testimony questioning the science.
Global Warming on Free Republic
Cedar Dave you should know better, we are talking environmental stuff here, science is not required only feeling.
Yeah, right. Bird-killing wind turbines on every mesa, solar panels on every vacant lot and lots of "clean energy" (read "government") jobs to make sure industry complies.
That pretty well sums up the "thinking" of most of those living north of Rio Rancho to the Colorado border.
Can’t NM do something positive? NM certainly has the sunshine to exploit solar power.
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