06-R 250

2006 -- H 7316 SUBSTITUTE A

Enacted 05/10/06

H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N

PROMOTING GOALS TO REDUCE GLOBAL WARMING POLLUTION FROM THE REGION'S ELECTRICITY SECTOR

Introduced By: Representatives Ginaitt, Anguilla, Lewiss, Naughton, and McNamara

Date Introduced: February 15, 2006

     WHEREAS, In 2001, the Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian

Premiers adopted a Greenhouse Gas Action Plan to reduce emissions of global warming

pollutants across the region; and

     WHEREAS, The New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers' Greenhouse

Gas Action Plan set a short-term goal of reducing global warming pollution to 1990 levels by

2010, a medium-term goal of reducing global warming pollution to 10% below 1990 levels by

2020, and a long-term goal to reduce global warming pollution to a level that eliminates any

serious threat to the economy, public health or the environment; and

     WHEREAS, In order to help meet the goals set by the New England Governors and

Eastern Canadian Premiers, the Rhode Island Climate Change Consortium has brought together

stakeholders from many sectors of society, including government, industry, environmental and

consumer groups to develop the Rhode Island Greenhouse Gas Action Plan; and

     WHEREAS, The Rhode Island Climate Change Consortium has listed a "Carbon and

Multi-Pollutant Power Sector Cap and Permit Trade" among the fifty-two methods of reducing

greenhouse gases in Rhode Island; and

     WHEREAS, The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative was signed by the states of Maine,

New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and Delaware in order to reduce

greenhouse gas emissions from the region's electricity sector to 10% below current levels by

2020; and

     WHEREAS, Rhode Island is the only New England state without a plan to reduce

greenhouse gases from the electricity sector; and

     WHEREAS, Greenhouse gases produced by the burning of fossil fuels for energy and

transportation are the leading causes of global warming in Rhode Island; and

     WHEREAS, Twenty-five percent of the greenhouse gases produced in Rhode Island are

produced by the electricity sector; and

     WHEREAS, The State of Rhode Island has adopted California's LEV III Standards for all

new cars and trucks sold in the state in order to reduce global warming pollution from cars and

light trucks; and

     WHEREAS, A cap and permit trade program designed for the electricity sector is an

economically feasible method to reduce greenhouse gases; and

     WHEREAS, In implementing the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative each state will

allocate at least 25% of its pollution allowances for consumer benefits, such as energy efficiency

programs or consumer rebates; and

     WHEREAS, Improving energy efficiency programs and controlling global warming from

the electricity sector will move Rhode Island closer to its emission reduction goals; and

     WHEREAS, There is broad consensus among the scientific community that human

activity is contributing to global warming; and

     WHEREAS, Global warming is a threat to the climate, economy and environment of the

State of Rhode Island; and

     WHEREAS, As a result of global warming, hotter days in Rhode Island cause more

ozone days, when the air is unhealthy to breathe and particularly dangerous for the 100,000

Rhode Islanders who suffer from asthma; and

     WHEREAS, Fall foliage is an important tourist attraction, a valuable feature of Rhode

Island's quality of life, and is threatened by global warming; and

     WHEREAS, Rhode Island has 400 miles of densely populated coastline that is threatened

by rising sea levels, beach erosion, and more extreme weather patterns caused by global warming;

now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and

Providence Plantations hereby strongly encourages Governor Carcieri to sign the Memorandum

of Understanding set forth by the states participating in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative to

effectively reduce global warming pollution from the region's electricity sector; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives is committed to achieving the short,

medium and long-term goals set by the New England Governors' and Eastern Canadian Premiers'

Climate Change Action Plan to reduce the threat of global warming to our economy, public health

and environment; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives recognizes the vital role it must play in

order to successfully address the issue of reducing global warming pollution from the electricity

sector here in Rhode Island; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Governor of the State of Rhode Island as

well as the governors of the states of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, New Hampshire, New

Jersey, New York and Vermont.

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LC00852/SUB A

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