As the new home of ConnPIRG's environmental work, Environment Connecticut can be contacted regarding this news release.
HARTFORD—Some
of the region’s biggest polluters are working to scuttle a bold global
warming proposal by Governor Rell and eight other Northeastern
Governors from Delaware to Maine. The plan would place a cap on global
warming pollution from power plants and require reductions in those
emissions. Power plant owners, including NRG and Dominion, are lobbying
against provisions that tighten loopholes in the program and would use
the proceeds of the sales of permits to promote energy efficiency and
reduce the cost of the program for consumers.
“It
is outrageous that power companies are holding up this important
program at a time when they are making record profits,” said ConnPIRG
Advocate Christopher Phelps. “Doubly so when their demand is to be let
off the hook without being required to pay for pollution allowances
when the money paid for the allowances would be invested in energy
efficiency and other programs to reduce electricity costs for
consumers.”
Public
interest, consumer and environmental groups have expressed strong
support for the Northeast Governor’s regional global warming plan
(called the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, or RGGI). However,
advocates argued that an earlier draft version of the plan released in
August contained numerous flaws that undermined its effectiveness and
offered windfall profits to polluters. The groups have called for a
strengthened program that achieves significant pollution reductions and
lowers costs to consumers by investing in energy efficiency and related
programs to reduce energy use. They oppose the power companies’ efforts
to change the plan to give away, instead of selling, pollution
allowances because doing so would create major windfall profits for the
companies at their customers’ expense.
“The
region’s biggest polluters do not have a right to pollute and should
pay for their pollution,” said Clean Water Action Campaign Director
Roger Smith. “The public needs to know that these large national energy
companies do not have the interests of the public in mind when they
make these outrageous demands, and are looking for any excuse to
increase their profits at the expense of their customers.”
State
officials from nine Northeastern states, including Connecticut, have
met for over two years to develop the proposed global warming plan. In
September 2003, they announced a goal of reaching agreement on the
regional program by April of this year. The effort was delayed until
August, when they released a draft plan that would require a ten
percent reduction in global warming pollution from power plants in the
Northeast.
“Governor
Rell and her colleagues have taken a bold step in proposing this
program,” said Smith. “This is a critical step that must be taken if
Connecticut is to fulfill its commitment to reducing global warming
pollution as part of the state’s climate change action plan. We cannot
allow a few energy companies to hold this effort hostage to their
unreasonable demands.”
Environmental,
consumer and public interest advocates responded to the August draft
proposal by urging a number of significant changes to close loopholes
in the program. They proposed changes to the program to ensure it
results in real, significant pollution reductions from power plants,
does not allow power companies to cancel out reductions in emissions
from Northeastern power plants by importing dirty power from Midwestern
coal plants, and helps electric customers by requiring power plants to
buy pollution “allowance” permits and use the money to reduce energy
bills through energy efficiency measures and customer rebate programs.
During
September and October, state officials continued negotiations on a
final agreement. Advocates say they are optimistic that the states are
moving towards a strengthened proposal, delivering real reductions in
global warming pollution and consumer protections. However, they note
that announcement of a final plan continues to be delayed due to
intensive lobbying from the power industry.
“Governor
Rell and her colleagues have a clear choice: Listen to the power
companies and stick with business as usual, or meet the commitment they
made to enact a strong, effective plan to reduce pollution,” said
Phelps. “A strong, effective cap and trade plan can reduce global
warming emissions from power plants while creating investment in energy
efficiency programs and other measures to reduce prices for consumers.
Now is the time for the states to reject the industry lobbying, roll up
their sleeves and tackle the problem of global warming head-on.’
