The Washington state Department of Ecology (Ecology) has just conducted its first auction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission allowances, under the state’s Climate Commitment Act (or CCA) which establishes a comprehensive, market-based program to reduce carbon pollution and achieve greenhouse gas limits set in state law. The CCA was one of a package of climate-related laws passed in 2021, including the Clean Fuel Standard, and an expanded hydrofluorocarbons management program. The remainder of this note discusses CCA and the recent sale of GHG allowances.
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Washington conducts first sales under its new state greenhouse gas cap-and-invest program
Posted by Jon Elliott on Mon, Mar 20, 2023
Tags: Greenhouse Gas, ghg, greenhouse, CO2 Emissions, Washington, CCA
Trump Administration Proposes to “Modernize” Federal Environmental Impact Assessments by Narrowing Them
Posted by Jon Elliott on Tue, Feb 25, 2020
The federal Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) has proposed to revise its regulations administering the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969. NEPA requires federal agencies to assess the environmental effects of their proposed actions, and incorporate this information into their decisions. Government-wide guidance is provided by the White House’s CEQ, established by NEPA and appointed by the President. CEQ issues formal regulations that agencies must follow, and guidance documents that provide additional advice. CEQ also reviews agencies’ NEPA implementation programs, and publishes annual national Environmental Quality Reports.
Read MoreTags: Business & Legal, Environmental risks, Environmental, EHS, EPA, clean water, site auditing, greenhouse
Feds Issue Nationwide Motor Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Standards and Declare California’s Standards to be Preempted
Posted by Jon Elliott on Tue, Oct 22, 2019
The federal government has taken another step in its car wars with California. Late in September the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued joint rules declaring NHTSA’s preemptive authority to set national standards covering greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from petroleum-fueled vehicles and electric vehicles, and revoking a waiver from EPA that lets California set such standards.
Read MoreTags: California Legislation, Environmental risks, Environmental, EPA, ghg, Transportation, greenhouse