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Climate Change Policy Update July 17, 2015 Thomas Gross Bureau of Air and Radiation Kansas Department of Health and Environment Our Vision – Healthy Kansans living in safe and sustainable environments. What’s New in Climate Change? Sept 14 – Alaska creates Climate Change Sub-Cabinet Sept 12 – Virginia announces state-wide energy plan Sept 12 - Vermont’s GHG vehicle emission standards upheld in court Aug 28 - Illinois law enacts renewable energy and efficiency standards August 22 – Western Climate Initiative announces emissions target of 15% by 2020 Aug 20 – North Carolina becomes 25th state to enact renewable portfolio standard (12.5% by 2021) August 6 – Oregon sets GHG reduction standards 10% by 2020 Our Vision – Healthy Kansans living in safe and sustainable environments. GHG Policy Options Participate in GHG registry Develop climate action plan Enact renewable portfolio standards Adopt GHG tailpipe standards for passenger vehicles Enact GHG emission reduction standards Enact energy efficiency resource standards Participate in GHG emissions trading program Many others Our Vision – Healthy Kansans living in safe and sustainable environments. States With GHG Registries and Reporting Pew Center for Global Climate Change States With Climate Action Plans Pew Center for Global Climate Change States with Renewable Portfolio Standards States Pursuing Vehicle Standards States With GHG Emission Targets The Climate Registry (TCR) Multi state, province, tribal registry organization Incorporated as a 501(c)3 in Washington D.C. Started in March 2007 So far 39 States District of Columbia 3 Tribes 2 Canadian provinces Mexican state of Sonora Our Vision – Healthy Kansans living in safe and sustainable environments. Mission and Purpose Develop a common system to measure, track, verify, and report GHG emissions Support diverse state climate reporting and/or reduction policies Accurate Transparent Consistent across borders and industry sectors Voluntary Market-based Regulatory Promote linkages between emerging carbon markets Our Vision – Healthy Kansans living in safe and sustainable environments. Membership Eligible for membership States & Tribes Districts, Territories, and U.S. Possessions Canadian Provinces and Mexican States “Member” is different than “reporter” Members agree to principles and goals and appoint representative to Board of Directors Our Vision – Healthy Kansans living in safe and sustainable environments. TCR Benefits Standardize best practices in emission reporting—not just within U.S. Infrastructure could facilitate future federal, state or local actions Vehicle for politically diverse states to act together Lower costs for states and for reporters of emissions Our Vision – Healthy Kansans living in safe and sustainable environments. Implementation Tasks Develop emissions quantification framework Create a general reporting protocol Develop verification protocol Create a data collection system Create administrative processes to implement above Draw on existing programs such as CA Registry, GHG Protocol tool, EU, etc. Our Vision – Healthy Kansans living in safe and sustainable environments. Issues Tentatively Resolved 6 Kyoto gases will be reported annually Reporting will be on facility level Direct and indirect emissions reported 3rd party verification required Entities report for all North American facilities Reporting measures for specific sectors, such as EGUs De minimis reporting levels: 3% Our Vision – Healthy Kansans living in safe and sustainable environments. Unresolved Issues Levels of membership Public disclosure Stakeholders concerned about proprietary info Corporate entity definitions Reporters- meet requirements in 1 yr Transitional Reporters- meet requirements in 2 yrs Disclosure of interest in other companies, parent/subsidiary relationships Software tools Our Vision – Healthy Kansans living in safe and sustainable environments. What’s next for TCR? Draft reporting protocol Verification system and protocol Completed and being reviewed Final due in January Draft expected next month Final due in January Software reporting system Strategy developed by October Fully operable by March 2008 Our Vision – Healthy Kansans living in safe and sustainable environments. Why did Kansas join TCR? A seat at the table Participate in reporting protocol development Make contacts with climate change staff and decision makers in other states Learn from their decisions and actions Show Kansas’ commitment to the issue Our Vision – Healthy Kansans living in safe and sustainable environments. Western Climate Initiative Collaboration between Arizona, California, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and British Columbia Launched in February 2007 Kansas and other states are observers GHG goal is aggregate reduction of 15% below 2005 levels by 2020 Developing market-based mechanism to help achieve goal by August 2008 Will use TCR data Our Vision – Healthy Kansans living in safe and sustainable environments. What’s Next for KDHE? Draft statewide GHG emissions inventory Continue participation in TCR development Monitor progress of Western Climate Initiative and other programs Improve coordination with Kansas energy agencies/organizations Our Vision – Healthy Kansans living in safe and sustainable environments. www.kdheks.gov Our Vision – Healthy Kansans living in safe and sustainable environments.