Connecticut

Sector: Regional Government

Carbon Footprint:

> 48,000,000 metric tonnes CO₂e (2000)

TARGETS

> Reduce state greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2010
> Reduce state greenhouse gas emissions 10% below 1990 levels by 2020, and by 75%-85% over longer-term
> 20% of the state government’s electricity from clean, renewable energy by 2010, 50% by 2020, and 100% by 2050
> Reduce public sector greenhouse gas emissions by 25% by 2012
> Complete regional cap-and-trade rules by April 2005
> Initiate regulations and programs for the full Connecticut Climate Change Action Plan by 2006.

Achievements

> State wide emissions inventory completed in 2003
> Six new climate change bills and executive orders adopted in 2004
> Comprehensive Connecticut Climate Change Action Plan released and endorsed by the state legislature in 2005

Benefits

> Conservation and Load Management Fund ~ $85 million/ year in energy efficiency and demand management investments
> Clean Energy Fund ~ $26 million/ year invested in clean energy technologies - leading to increased jobs and economic development

Low Carbon Solutions

Background

In constructing its Climate Action Plan, the State of Connecticut had two overarching goals: economic development and increasing energy reliability. With those two objectives at the core Connecticut has set out an ambitious and concrete climate protection program. The state’s climate action plan contains 55 recommended actions in five major areas: transportation and land use, residential, commercial and industrial energy; agriculture, forestry and waste; electricity generation; and education and outreach.

‘Connecticut is aggressively pursuing a wide range of actions to address climate change and many important initiatives are underway. The plan we have presented outlines these initiatives, along with new actions, that, collectively, will help us achieve significant long-term reductions in greenhouse gases,’ according to Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Gina McCarthy, Chair of the Governor’s Steering Committee on Climate Change.

Connecticut is one of the nine Northeastern US states involved in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) initiated by New York State Governor George Pataki. Members of the RGGI plan to implement a regional cap-and-trade program for CO₂ emissions from electric power plants, a program that will further assist the states in meeting their greenhouse emissions reductions goals. Currently under development are rules for the cap-and-trade program, the rules are scheduled to be completed by third quarter 2005. Over the long term, Connecticut hopes to use the cap and trade program to reduce some .95 million metric tons CO₂ by 2010 and 2.26 million metric tons CO₂ by 2020.

Connecticut adopted a variety of energy efficiency measures in the early 1970’s and was one of the first US states to enact legislation specifically addressing global warming. The state’s General Assembly passed a Global Warming Act in 1990 that required state action to improve energy efficiency standards in building codes, encouragement of energy efficient vehicles and development of a state-wide energy plan.

Faced with implementing these mandates, state leaders took stock. Connecticut was struggling economically, its electricity grid was congested, threatening power reliability, and air quality status was non-attainment. What followed was an innovative approach led by the State’s Economic Development Agency and the Department of Environmental Protection. Two funds were established, the Clean Energy Fund and the Conservation and Load Management Fund. Designed to address both energy reliability and air pollution, the Conservation Fund provides financing for energy efficiency improvements within business and industry to reduce the demand on conventional power plant sources.

Some 19 Connecticut universities have pledged support for the state emission reduction targets. They will conduct inventories of campus-wide emissions and develop emission reduction plans to contribute to state goals. At the local level, sixteen Connecticut municipalities are also contributing to meeting the state’s goals by their participation in the international Cities for Climate Protection program.

To ensure that the additional climate protection policies would not interfere with Connecticut’s original economic development objective, State analysts preparing the draft plan collaborated with federal Environmental Protection Agency staff to conduct an advanced econometric analysis of the co-benefits of the implementation options they considered. Using a new computer model, analysts identified the most economically optimal implementation pathways to meet or exceed state goals. Model outputs are likely to help sway perceptions that the proposed agenda would compete with other core state priorities.

On Earth Day 2004, an executive order was issued in Connecticut committing state agencies to purchase 20% of their electricity from clean, renewable energy by 2010, 50% by 2020, and 100% by 2050. This goal of a state purchasing 100% clean, renewable energy to operate its buildings and facilities is the first of its kind in the U.S. Implementation of these renewable energy targets will likely include the restoration of the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund to its full funding level of $29 million annually. The fund provides incentives for new renewable generation capacity, including a program that allows consumers to choose to pay for clean energy (wind, solar, hydro, fuel cell and biomass power). Revenues for the fund are generated through a modest surcharge on state electricity sales.

Connecticut’s climate leadership really took off following its participation in the New England Governors/Eastern Canadian Premiers (NEG/ECP) group, an effort that was initially formed to coordinate a regional response to acid rain. In 2000 the NEG/ECP group undertook a climate change initiative that led to the adoption of a region-wide commitment to reduce emissions to 1990 levels by 2010. Over the long-term, the regional leaders embraced the need to cut greenhouse gas emissions sufficiently to eliminate any dangerous threat to the climate. Current science suggests that this level is about 75% to 85% below 2001 levels.

To date, many of the participating states and provinces have approached the NEG/ECP targets as a regional commitment, without the force of law. Connecticut took a different course, in 2004 the state passed legislation that enshrined the commitment into statute. The law, PA 04-252, “An Act Concerning Climate Change,” charged the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to produce a climate change action plan that outlined measures to meet the NEG/ECP reduction target and submit it to the Connecticut General Assembly for legislative review and endorsement. Submitted to the General Assembly in January of 2005, the plan has now been given the green light by the legislature.

Implementation of the full plan will put Connecticut on target to reduce statewide emissions to 1990 levels by 2010, and to 10% below 1990 levels by 2020. These goals are consistent with Connecticut’s commitment under the New England Governors – Eastern Canadian Premiers 2001 Climate Change Action Plan.

Other measures in the Connecticut plan include exploring and enhancing smart growth efforts and sustainable transportation choices, and a pilot program to test the use of bio-diesel fuel. Longer-term initiatives include the adoption of a greenhouse gas feebate program (a revenue-neutral program that would tax automobile sales of high-greenhouse gas emitting vehicles and provide rebates for low greenhouse gas-emitting vehicles); and a hydrogen infrastructure research and development program.

As automobiles account for 40% of Connecticut’s annual CO₂ emissions a number of the major recommendations in the State’s Climate Change Action Plan are aimed at reducing greenhouse gases from automobiles. Legislation and subsequent regulations adopted in 2004 established a Connecticut clean car program similar to California’s low emission vehicle program (LEV II program). To be consistent with LEV II standards and stay on the same implementation schedule as California Connecticut intends, by the end of 2005, to adopt emissions standards comparable to California’s “Pavley rule”. The Pavley standards require that new model year 2009 vehicles emit 10% to 16% lower greenhouse gases than model year 2002 vehicles. Ultimately the standards require vehicles to emit 30% less greenhouse gases by model year 2016.

Another important action item would reduce the warming impact of black carbon, a component of diesel particulate matter thought to have a significant atmospheric warming impact. The initiative will promote the use of lower sulfur diesel fuel and will prompt further technological advances in tailpipe controls and engine design. Connecticut municipalities are already retrofitting school buses and purchasing ultra-low diesel fuel to cut black carbon emissions.

Since the 1970s Connecticut has been a leader in energy efficiency and was one of the first States to enact global warming-specific legislation.

On Earth Day 2004, Connecticut’s State agencies committed to purchasing 20% of their electricity from renewables by 2010, 50% by 2020, and 100% by 2050. Credit: The Connecticut Energy Cooperative.

This CHP installation is just one example of how Connecticut is championing energy efficiency measures. Credit: Bernard Blessinger.

Transportation and land use, one of the 5 major goals identified in Connecticut’s Climate Action Plan.

Fuelling cars with CNG instead of gasoline cuts CO₂ emissions from automobiles, which currently equate to 40% of the annual total in Connecticut. Credit: Kevin Chandler.