Cuomo Plans to Reduce Emissions

Andrew Cuomo and the State Senate plan for a major reduction in greenhouse gases in the state of New York. They plan to pull funding from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative to help fund the states Environmental Protection Plan. The regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative is a program that was created by nine northeastern states that helps generate money. Last year the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (R.G.G.I.) helped fund $100 million to support New York State clean energy programs.

The R.G.G.I is a program in the United States that regulates greenhouse gas emissions for nine states including Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont. The program puts caps on the amount of CO2 emissions can be released by electrical and industrial polluters in those nine states. The R.G.G.I gets it money from auctioning off carbon emission allowances to power plants in the nine participating states.

Governor Cuomo plans to pull millions from the key program into our own states general funds. Plans are set to pull $36 million out of the R.G.G.I program and into two of New York funds and programs. Cuomo plans to move $23 million into the general fund and the $13 million left over into the Environment Protection Fund. The Senate calls for more than half of the amount Cuomo plans to pull from the R.G.G.I. Luckily the weep of funds has raised awareness for climate change and global warming that state republicans have been reluctant to address. Having more control over the R.G.G.I fund will help direct where money is spent of environmental issues. Nothing is fin al in Cuomo’s budget and between the State Senate.

http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/albany/2015/03/8563980/cuomo-proposes-draw-emissions-program

http://www.rochestercitynewspaper.com/NewsBlog/archives/2015/03/13/state-budget-will-include-emissions-reductions-funding-in-some-form