Patrick Administration Establishes Key Benchmarks
for Greening the Massachusetts Economy

MassDEP sets 1990 baseline for cutting greenhouse gas emissions up to 25 percent by 2020 and adopts rules for reporting of pollution linked to climate change

In a measure that will accelerate the development of a clean energy economy in Massachusetts, the Patrick Administration today announced the baseline against which future greenhouse gas emission reductions will be measured, as well as a projection of greenhouse gas emissions in 2020  under a business as usual scenario, as required by the Global Warming Solutions Act passed last year.

In addition, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP), which has the principal regulatory role for reducing greenhouse gases under the Act, announced final regulations requiring approximately 300 Massachusetts facilities to report their emissions annually.

"Massachusetts has an opportunity to lead the nation in creating a clean energy economy by reducing its greenhouse gas emissions in a thoughtful, balanced way that encourages technological innovation and entrepreneurship," said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Ian Bowles. "We begin this process today."

"We have now put into place the tools by which we will measure our progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Massachusetts," MassDEP Commissioner Laurie Burt said. "Thanks to a robust public process that informed the Department's rulemaking, from this day forward, Massachusetts will be able to measure the greenhouse gases we emit, track our progress against the 1990 starting point, and calculate the environmental benefits of policies that conserve energy and replace fossil fuels with renewable resources. The result will be a more sustainable future for the Commonwealth."

The Global Warming Solutions Act requires an 80 percent reduction of greenhouse gas emissions economy-wide by 2050, with interim targets beginning in 2020. The Act requires the Secretary of EEA to set a reduction target for 2020 of between 10 and 25 percent below 1990 levels. In order to set the 2020 target and monitor compliance with reduction mandates, the Act directed MassDEP to establish a reporting process to document GHG emissions on an annual basis.

In addition, MassDEP was required to set a 1990 baseline for emissions, against which to track reductions, and project 2020 GHG emissions on a "Business As Usual" basis - that is, without calculating the effect of laws or policies to reduce GHG emissions implemented after January 1, 2009.

MassDEP estimated economy-wide GHG emissions 1990 baseline at 94 million metric tons. For the 2020 projection, MassDEP extrapolated 1990-to-2005 historical trends, which showed total GHG emissions as relatively flat during that period. As a result, MassDEP projects 2020 "Business As Usual" (BAU) at 94 million metric tons, and will use that figure for planning purposes.

Based on statistical probability, rather than analysis of factors that might drive emissions higher or lower than the historical trend line, MassDEP has a confidence level of 50 percent that actual BAU 2020 emissions would be within 5 million metric tons of that projection.

Under the requirements of the Global Warming Solutions Act, Secretary Bowles will establish a firm target for 2020 reductions of between 10 to 25 percent below the 1990 baseline and issue an economy-wide plan to achieve that target, by January 1, 2011. 

The Global Warming Solutions Act required MassDEP to promulgate GHG reporting regulations to address, among other provisions, "verification," "voluntary reporting" and "reporting by retail sellers of electricity."

Under the new rules published today, MassDEP anticipates that approximately 300 facilities will be required to report their GHG emissions, ranging from the Brayton Point power plant in Somerset to the campuses of University of Massachusetts system. Most regulated facilities will be required to report "direct emissions," such as those from factory fuel burning, manufacturing processes and vents, as well as emissions from motor vehicles.

For calendar year 2009, regulated facilities must report only emissions from carbon dioxide. Starting in 2010, those facilities must also report emissions from the six primary GHGs: carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride.

Turn to the MassDEP web site for additional details:
Mandatory Reporting Regulations: www.mass.gov/dep/air/laws/regulati.htm#771  
1990 Baseline and 2020 Projections: www.mass.gov/dep/air/climate/gwsa_docs.htm 

Questions about the greenhouse gas reporting program may be directed to climate.strategies@state.ma.us or 617-292-5864.

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