CONCORD, N.H. - New Hampshire's political leaders are getting behind a 10-state regional effort to cut greenhouse gas emissions to preserve the state's climate and way of life.
Governor John Lynch told a House committee yesterday that New Hampshire will benefit environmentally and economically if it approves the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.
"We've all enjoyed the warm weather of the past couple of days," Lynch said. "But if global warming is left unchecked, our grandchildren could be living in a much warmer climate that simply is not New Hampshire."
He urged passage of legislation to participate with the other New England states, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland in a market-based, "cap and trade" program to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from the region's power plants.
The governors of the 10 states have signed a memorandum of understanding agreeing to the initiative. It is a regional plan, but each state must adopt its own laws and regulations.
Under the initiative, a regional carbon dioxide emissions cap would be put in place beginning in 2009 for large power plants fueled by fossil fuels. Allowances would be issued equal to the total cap and apportioned to the participating states. Utilities would have to buy enough allowances within three years to cover their emissions. Since the number of allowances is limited by the regional cap, overall emissions are expected to be reduced.
New Hampshire's cap would be 8.6 million tons per year, out of 188 million tons emitted by the 10 states. Power plants in New Hampshire to be affected are: Schiller Station in Portsmouth, Newington Station in Newington, Merrimack Station in Bow, Granite Ridge in Londonderry, and Newington Energy LLC in Newington.
Other types of allowances are also part of the plan. For example, capturing methane gas at a landfill also reduces carbon emissions. Also under consideration is using forestry management to reduce carbon emissions through techniques as simple as planting trees.
The money utilities pay for the allowances would go into a state-regulated fund to improve energy efficiency. State officials envision a wide range of uses for the money, including cooling and heating efficiencies. For example, money could be used to help insulate houses or to buy wood stoves or more efficient furnaces.
