Citizen Petition for Rulemaking to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Maine Department of Environmental Protection sent this bulletin at 04/25/2018 10:16 AM EDT
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04/25/2018 09:41 AM EDT
On January 24, 2018, the Department of Environmental Protection received a citizen petition (Citizen Petition for Rulemaking to Require the Maine Department of Environmental Protection to Fulfill its Statutory, Constitutional, and Public Trust Obligations to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions Along a Trajectory that is Based on the Best Climate Science and that will Reduce the Impacts of Climate Change in Maine (GHG Petition)) to initiate rulemaking pursuant to 5 M.R.S. § 8055. The GHG Petition was signed by 696 registered voters,[1] and the Petition was verified and certified as required by Maine law. Therefore, pursuant to 5 M.R.S. § 8055, the Department is required to initiate rulemaking.
The Petitioners' proposed rules seek greenhouse gas emission reductions of at least 8 percent each year, which correlates to Maine reducing its greenhouse gas emissions to approximately 75 percent below 2003 levels by the year 2035. The proposals would: (1) create a new "Greenhouse Gas Emission Standards" rule which establishes a statewide greenhouse gas emission limit for each year beginning in 2020, and requires submission of greenhouse gas emission reduction plans for certain stationary sources and vehicle fleets; (2) establish a new rule addressing sulfur hexafluoride (SF6 - a greenhouse gas) emissions from gas-insulated electrical switch gear; and (3) amend ten existing rules to incorporate greenhouse gas standards and cross-reference the new Greenhouse Gas Emission Standards rule. For proposed amendments to Chapters 146, 148, 150 and 305, the Petitioners proposed language establishing emission limits for greenhouse gases, but left blanks for the actual numerical limits. The GHG Petition, the Petitioners' proposed rules, and Materials Circulated During Petition Drive may be found here: http://www.maine.gov/dep/ftp/GHG_Petition/ A listing of verified voter signatures along with youth and non-voter signatures is available for review at the Department's Augusta Office.
The Petitioners' proposed rules seek greenhouse gas emission reductions of at least 8 percent each year, which correlates to Maine reducing its greenhouse gas emissions to approximately 75 percent below 2003 levels by the year 2035. The proposals would: (1) create a new "Greenhouse Gas Emission Standards" rule which establishes a statewide greenhouse gas emission limit for each year beginning in 2020, and requires submission of greenhouse gas emission reduction plans for certain stationary sources and vehicle fleets; (2) establish a new rule addressing sulfur hexafluoride (SF6 - a greenhouse gas) emissions from gas-insulated electrical switch gear; and (3) amend ten existing rules to incorporate greenhouse gas standards and cross-reference the new Greenhouse Gas Emission Standards rule. For proposed amendments to Chapters 146, 148, 150 and 305, the Petitioners proposed language establishing emission limits for greenhouse gases, but left blanks for the actual numerical limits. The GHG Petition, the Petitioners' proposed rules, and Materials Circulated During Petition Drive may be found here: http://www.maine.gov/dep/ftp/GHG_Petition/ A listing of verified voter signatures along with youth and non-voter signatures is available for review at the Department's Augusta Office.
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Maine Department of Environmental Protection |
