The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), in conjunction with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), is currently accepting public comments on several proposed changes to the DEC’s regulations governing New York’s participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). DEC’s proposed changes, which are based on updates to the RGGI model rule, are designed to reduce the RGGI emissions “cap” to increase the costs of CO2 emissions credits to encourage further reduction in CO2 emissions.

The linked GT Alert Carbon Claustrophobia — Significant Changes Coming to the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiatives Cap and Trade Program explains the significance of the changes to the RGGI regulations.  Steven Russo of GT’s New York office and Adam Silverman of GT’s Philadelphia office prepared the alert.