THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
DIVISION OF ENERGY RESOURCES
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Notice is hereby given that the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP), under its authority pursuant to M.G.L. Chapter 111, Sections 142A through 142E, and in conformance with M.G.L. Chapter 30A, will hold four public hearings on the following regulations: 

• 310 CMR 7.70 - CO2 Budget Trading Program - This new regulation will implement a Cap and Trade system to control emissions of CO2 from power plants in Massachusetts.  This proposal is based on the Model Rule that was developed as part of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI).
• 310 CMR 7.29 - Emissions Standards for Power Plants - The portion of the existing regulation addressing CO2 emissions from six power plants in the Commonwealth will be modified and ultimately replaced by 310 CMR 7.70.
• 310 CMR 7.00 Appendix B(7) - Emission Banking, Trading, and Averaging - The existing regulation addressing the creation of Greenhouse Gas Credits (GHG Credits) will be modified and ultimately replaced by 310 CMR 7.70.

Notice is hereby given that these hearings will be conducted jointly with the Massachusetts Division of Energy Resources (DOER), under its authority pursuant to M.G.L. Chapter 25A, Sections 6 and 13, and in conformance with M.G.L. Chapter 30A, on the following regulation:

• 225 CMR 13.00 - DOER CO2 Budget Trading Program Auction Regulation - The proposed regulations would establish rules for conducting auctions of CO2 allowances created under the Massachusetts CO2 Budget Trading Program (310 CMR 7.70), and to detail procedures for informing MassDEP about the number of allowances to be retired annually for voluntary purchases of qualified renewable energy. 

Public hearings will be conducted to receive public comment, both oral and written, on both sets of proposed regulations on the following dates:

Monday, September 10, 2007, at 6:00 p.m.
MassDEP Northeast Regional Office
205B Lowell Street
Wilmington, MA 01887
Directions at http://mass.gov/dep/about/region/northeas.htm

Tuesday, September 11, 2007, at 6:00 p.m.
1st Floor Conference Room
MassDEP Southeast Region Main Office
20 Riverside Drive
Lakeville, MA 02347
Directions at http://mass.gov/dep/about/region/southeas.htm

Tuesday, September 11, 2007 at 6:00 p.m.
Leslie Phillips Forum, Fine and Performing Arts Building (C Building)
Holyoke Community College
303 Homestead Avenue
Holyoke, MA 01040
Directions at http://www.hcc.edu/about/around.html
Visitor parking for the hearing is available in lot F.

Wednesday, September 12, 2007 at 9:30 a.m.
Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection
One Winter Street, 2nd Floor, Rooms A, B, & C
Boston, MA 02108
Directions at http://mass.gov/dep/about/organization/depdir.htm

The public hearing sites are wheelchair accessible. This information is available in alternative format upon request by contacting Donald M. Gomes, ADA coordinator, at (617) 556-1057, TDD Service 1-800-298-2207, 1 Winter Street, Boston, MA 02108.

Written testimony will be accepted on MassDEP's and DOER's regulations until 5:00 p.m. on Monday, September 24, 2007. 

MassDEP requests that written testimony regarding its proposed regulations be submitted electronically via e-mail (Word, WordPerfect, Rich Text, Plain Text or HTML formats preferred) to Nicholas.M.Bianco@state.ma.us, or by mail to Nicholas Bianco, MassDEP, One Winter Street, 6th Floor, Boston, MA 02108.  Copies of the MassDEP regulation, background document, and filed comments will be available for inspection during normal business hours at MassDEP, One Winter Street, Boston, MA.  These documents will also be available at: http://mass.gov/dep/service/regulations/newregs.htm#proposed

DOER requests that written testimony regarding its proposed regulation be submitted electronically via e-mail (Word, WordPerfect, Rich Text, Plain Text or HTML formats preferred) to Robert.Sydney@state.ma.us, or by mail to Robert Sydney, 100 Cambridge Street, Suite 1020, Boston, MA 02114.  Copies of the DOER regulation and filed comments will be available for inspection during normal business hours at DOER, 100 Cambridge Street, Suite 1020, Boston, MA.  These documents will also be available at: http://mass.gov/doer/rggi

For questions about MassDEP's proposed regulations, please contact Bill Lamkin (978-694-3294, william.lamkin@state.ma.us) or Nicholas Bianco (617-292-5705, nicholas.m.bianco@state.ma.us).

For questions about DOER's proposed regulation, please contact Robert F. Sydney (617-727-4732 x40133, robert.sydney@state.ma.us), Dwayne Breger (617-727-4732 x40127, dwayne.breger@state.ma.us) or Al Pereira (617-727-4732 x40151, alvaro.pereira@state.ma.us).

By order of the Department of Environmental Protection
Arleen O'Donnell, Acting Commissioner
and
By order of the Division of Energy Resources
Philip Giudice, Commissioner