House Panel Passes Emissions Controls

By Chelsea Conaboy

The House Science, Technology and Energy Committee passed an amended bill yesterday that would enter New Hampshire into a 10- state program to cap and then reduce carbon emissions from power plants.

The bill, which now will be considered by the full House, would require three New Hampshire generators to purchase one allowance from a regional auction for every ton of carbon they emit. The revenue from the allowances would be put into a fund earmarked for making homes and businesses more energy efficient.

State officials have said the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative will reduce the amount of carbon emitted by the state’s generators 17 percent by 2018.

Under the bill, Public Service of New Hampshire will receive up to 12 million “bonus allowances” between the start of RGGI next year and 2014 to essentially reimburse the company for efforts it made to control carbon under the 2002 Clean Power Act.

The bill, which passed 12-2, would also affect natural gas plants Newington Energy and Granite Ridge. Participants include the six New England states, Delaware, Maryland, New York and New Jersey.

Chelsea Conaboy

Originally published by Chelsea Conaboy Monitor staff.

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