Connecticut Legislature Requires Climate Plan and Greenhouse Gas Reporting
Connecticut Legislature Requires Climate Plan and Greenhouse Gas Reporting
The Connecticut legislature passed a bill on May 5, 2004, establishing a state goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2010, to 10 percent below 1990 levels by 2020, and eventually to a level 75 to 80 percent below current levels over the long term. The goals are consistent with Connecticut's commitment to the Climate Change Action Plan adopted in 2001 by the Conference of the New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers. The legislation requires the Governor's Steering Committee on Climate Change to develop a climate action plan by January 1, 2005 to achieve these first two reduction goals and to develop a plan by January 1, 2008, to achieve the long-term goal. Governor Rowland, who has indicated that he will sign the bill, has already accepted 38 recommendations of the Steering Committee, which presented an initial report in January 2004. The bill also requires the Department of Environmental Protection to establish a greenhouse gas registry, to which all entities and facilities that must report other air emissions at either the state or federal level will be required to report direct greenhouse gas emissions, beginning July 1, 2006. Starting July 1, 2008, all entities and facilities with combined direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions exceeding 10,000 tons CO2-e will be required to report both direct and indirect emissions. Entities and facilities not required by law to report emissions may choose to report voluntarily.
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