Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI)

DES and the State of New Hampshire are participating in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) with other Northeast and Mid-Atlantic States. RGGI is a regional plan to implement a flexible, market-based program to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions – a major cause of global warming – from power plants in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states. New Hampshire and nine other states have committed to proposing laws and/or regulations by the end of 2008 to establish a framework for implementing RGGI in their respective states.

A Description of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative – Implementation in New Hampshire (January 2008) [pdf]

“Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative” – Presentation by DES Commissioner Burack to the American Council of Engineering Companies of New Hampshire, 1/15/08 (PowerPoint)

“Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (HB 1434)” - DES Presentation to House Science, Technology, and Energy Committee at legislative hearing, 1/10/08 (PowerPoint)

Reports and Studies on RGGI

Economic Impact in New Hampshire of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI): An Independent Assessment”, by University of New Hampshire (Gittell and Magnusson) January, 2008

Modeling Inputs and Support Information for UNH Report

Assumptions

Values Used in Calculations

Scenario Summary

Scenarios

“Economic Impact of New Hampshire Participation in Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative” – by UNH (Gittell and Magnusson), Presentation of final report, 1/10/08 (PowerPoint)

Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) – Frequently Asked Questions on the Economic Analysis – DES/UNH response document to questions/concerns from stakeholders on the economic analysis of RGGI (January 10, 2008) [pdf]

Stakeholder comments on UNH Draft Report:
Comments by Environment Northeast
Comments by Northeast Utilities System (PSNH)

Auction Design for Selling CO2 Emission Allowances Under the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative – Final report by Charles Holt and William Shobe, University of Virginia, and others, October 2007

“Auctions in the Air: Putting RGGI Allowances on the Block,” by Dr. William M. Shobe, member of the RGGI Auction Design Team and Director of Business & Economic Research at Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia. (January 3, 2008)

RGGI Stakeholder Process

Stakeholder involvement in the development of the RGGI program, both at the regional and state levels, is crucial to its success. Regional stakeholder involvement is comprehensive and includes the posting of draft documents on the RGGI website (www.rggi.org) for comment, and stakeholder notification of important events through the Listserv located on that website. The regional stakeholder group serves as an important sounding board for the RGGI staff representatives as the program is designed. In addition to this regional stakeholder process, each state plans is implementing its own state-specific stakeholder process as appropriate. States are supplementing the regional stakeholder group process by bringing back information and disseminating it to state stakeholder groups at the local level through meetings and other communication opportunities.

DES initiated New Hampshire stakeholder involvement in October 2004. Stakeholder meetings are held on an as-needed basis throughout the RGGI program development process. New Hampshire stakeholders include representatives of electric power companies, environmental organizations, consumers and other affected interests. For information on RGGI Stakeholder meetings, contact Joe Fontaine, Air Resources Division, (603) 271-6794 or jfontaine@des.nh.gov.

Stakeholder Meetings:

• NH RGGI Stakeholder Meeting on Auction Design Issues – December 4, 2007
  Presentation:
  RGGI Auction Design Recommendations [pdf]

  Meeting Materials:
  Summary of Stakeholder Comments on Design of Auction for RGGI [pdf]

  
  
  
• NH RGGI Stakeholder Meeting – November 5, 2007, 10:00 a.m., LOB
  
  
• NH RGGI Stakeholders Meeting – October 23, 2007
  Presentation:
  Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, October 23, 2007 (overview)
  
  
• NH RGGI Stakeholders Meeting – October 9, 2007
  Presentation:
  Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, October 9, 2007 (overview)
  
  
• NH RGGI Stakeholders Meeting – July 31, 2007
  Presentations:
  Strategies for Adaptation and Climate Vulnerability - Joel M. Harrington The Nature Conservancy of New Hampshire

  Building Solutions for Climate Change - Dick Henry The Jordan Institute

  Energy Code Compliance Support - Wes Golomb NHCTI

  Energy Savings and GHG Reductions from Low Income Energy Efficiency Programs in New Hampshire - Meredith Hatfield Office of Consumer Advocate

  New Hampshire’s Energy Efficiency Programs - Gil Gelineau PSNH

• NH RGGI Stakeholder Meeting - UNH Economic Study Overview – May 21, 2007
  Presentation:
  New Hampshire Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative – Economic Study Stakeholder Meeting
  
  
• NH RGGI Stakeholder Meeting – December 14, 2006
  Presentations:
  Public Service of NH presentation

  Granite Ridge Allowance Allocations Analysis

  Allocation of CO2 Allowances to Electricity Generators, Newington Energy LLC Position

  Cap and Trade Architecture – Lessons for RGGI and NH, Richard Cowart, Regulatory Assistance Project

  Energy Efficient Opportunities for NH Under RGGI, Jim O’Reilly, Northeast Energy Efficient Partnerships (NEEP)

  National Grid presentation

  Business and Industry Association presentation, Michael Giaimo

  Why RGGI Allowances Should be Used to Benefit Consumers, Marc Breslow, New England Climate Coalition and Massachusetts Climate Action Network

  Meeting Materials:
  Allocation of CO2 Allowances to Electricity Generators

  Comments:
  AMC's final comments for the RGGI modeling scenarios

  RGGI Economic Impact Modeling Scenarios; Jim Rubens

  Evolution Markets, Inc. Testimony before the New York State Department for Environmental Conservation

  
  
  
• NH RGGI Stakeholder Meeting - October 24, 2006
  Presentation:
  Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative – Planning

  References:
  ISO-NE Scenario Planning slides
  Maryland RGGI Study web site www.cier.umd.edu/RGGI

• NH RGGI Stakeholder Meeting - March 29, 2006
  Presentation:
  Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, Draft Model Rule Overview
  
  
• NH RGGI Stakeholder Meeting – September 12, 2005
  Presentation:
  The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) Staff Working Group (SWG) Package Proposal

  Meeting materials:
  Elements of Staff Working Group Revised Proposal – Aug. 24, 2005
  Flow Chart with Revised Recommendations
  Mayors Letter of Support for RGGI

• NH RGGI Stakeholder Meeting – March 11, 2005
  Presentation:
  Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Preliminary Electricity Sector Modeling Results, Carbon Policy Scenarios and Sensitivities
  
  
• NH RGGI Stakeholder Meeting – January 13, 2005
  Presentations:
  Presentation by Environment Northeast (a regional environmental organization)

  Presentation by the Northeast Regional Greenhouse Gas Coalition (a coalition of companies, including utilities that may be regulated by the program and sources that may voluntarily generate offsets that could be used by utilities for compliance flexibility)

  Meeting Materials:
  Environment Northeast Draft Model Rule Memo (includes a model rule outline, key issues and next steps for modeling)

• Initial NH RGGI Stakeholder Meeting – October 13, 2004
  Presentation:
  Informational Meeting on Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative