Sec. 22a-200d. State action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions: Assessment of low-carbon fuel standards, transportation system, cap and trade programs.
Sec. 22a-200d. State action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions: Assessment
of low-carbon fuel standards, transportation system, cap and trade programs. In
order to achieve the emission reduction requirements established in section 22a-200a,
the state shall implement the following:
(1) The Department of Environmental Protection shall monitor the development of
low-carbon fuel standards in other states or jurisdictions, evaluate the potential of any
such standard to achieve net carbon reductions, and assess whether the analytical framework used to determine the carbon benefit measures the full lifecycle of greenhouse gas
emissions, including direct and indirect emissions of greenhouse gas caused by changes
in land use or other factors. Such assessment shall include, but not be limited to, the
modeling tools developed by the California Air Resources Board and the United States
Environmental Protection Agency. The analytical framework used to measure actual
lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions for fuel shall include all stages of fuel and feedstock
production, delivery and use of the finished fuel to the ultimate consumer, and shall
adjust the mass values for all greenhouse gas emissions relative to such emissions'
relative global warming potential.
(2) The Department of Transportation shall, within available appropriations, continue to investigate the potential for improvements to the state's transportation system
that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and coordinate with the northeastern states
on regional strategies to incorporate greenhouse gas emission reductions into regional
transportation planning, including, but not limited to, high speed rail, light-rail passenger
service and freight rail service within the northeast region.
(3) The Department of Environmental Protection may work with interested states
and Canadian provinces to develop and implement market-based compliance mechanisms to achieve the greenhouse gas levels and limits established by section 22a-200a,
including, but not limited to, cap and trade programs.
(P.A. 08-98, S. 5.)