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The Climate Registry Stakeholder Briefing. Heather Abrams Georgia EPD – Air Branch Chief May 9, 2007 Region 4 Permitting Managers Workshop. Overview, Mission and Background. The Climate Registry.
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The Climate Registry Stakeholder Briefing Heather Abrams Georgia EPD – Air Branch Chief May 9, 2007 Region 4 Permitting Managers Workshop
The Climate Registry • Steering Committee coordinated by regional organizations representing over 30 states and tribes • Developed vision and plan for single multi-state registry organization • Letter of invitation and background documents sent to 50 states and tribes on March 16th
Who is participating in the discussions? • West: Washington, Oregon, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Montana, Idaho, Utah, Alaska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and California • Midwest: Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Missouri and Michigan • Northeast: Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, Maryland, Pennsylvania • Southeast: North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia • Plus a number of tribal representatives
Mission and Purpose • Develop a common system for measuring and storing GHG emission and reduction records of highest quality • Support diverse state climate policies • Create the system and confidence in data to promote linkages between emerging carbon markets (i.e. common currency)
Benefits • Standardize best practices in emission reporting—not just within U.S. • Infrastructure could facilitate future state action • Vehicle for politically diverse states to act together • Lower costs for states and for reporters of emissions
Membership • Incorporated as a new 501(c)3 in Washington, D.C. • “Member” is different than “reporter” • Eligible for membership • States • Tribes • Districts, Territories, and U.S. Possessions • Board can extend membership to Canadian Provinces and Mexican States • Formal invitations went out to all states/tribes on March 16. • Members must agree to principles and goals
Board Structure • Each member appoints a representative to the board • Must be an employee or elected official • Executive Committee has full power of board between meetings • Composed of five officers plus two at-large members
Organizational Structure • Central office: location TBD • 2-4 regional offices • Stakeholder involvement through advisory committee • Initially most tasks will be carried out by contractors • CA Registry will coordinate and provide reporting infrastructure • NESCAUM, LADCO, WRAP and other regional offices provide other support • Over 1-2 year transition all tasks will be brought in-house
Key Dates • May 1: National press event • May 18: Deadline for states and tribes to sign on as founding members • May 23: First Board of Directors meeting (Chicago, IL) • January 1, 2008: Target date for start of operations
What happens to California Registry Members? • Board of Ca. Registry very careful about transition issues/protecting reporters • Likely 1-2 year transition period of reporters from CA Registry to Climate Registry • California Registry will be contracted to carrying out the reporting function, so transition should be smooth • Eventually, Climate Registry will bring all functions in-house
What happens to the California Registry? • After transition period, entity reporting will be carried out by the Climate Registry • Other CA Registry functions will continue: • Project registry • Develop accounting standards • Support state agencies with AB 32 implementation • Carry out other contracts for utilities and others
The Climate Registry and Mandatory Reporting • The Climate Registry likely accounting structure for any inter-state market program • Relationship between The Climate Registry and mandatory reporting? • Still undecided—could be one structure or parallel structures
Implementation Goals • Target date of January 1, 2008 to initiate operations • Begin recruiting reporting organizations to voluntary reporting program and collecting data • Prepared to receive mandatory data from states that choose to use platform or upload data
Overview of Technical Tasks Accomplished to Date • Series of Technical Team meetings • Composed of staff from organizations and agencies represented on Steering Committee (state environment/air agencies and regional organizations) • Developed proposed technical reporting framework: • state-mandated reporting • voluntary reporting • verification • Build on existing registries and standards
Initial Stakeholder Process • Decentralized stakeholder process carried out by regional organizations • Stakeholder documents released include overview of technical framework and background documents • Formalized stakeholder process to begin with initial Board of Directors meeting, May 23, 2007
Anticipated Stakeholder Process • Board-appointed stakeholder advisory committee representing: • Environmental organizations • Business • Local governments • Formal stakeholder process • Opportunities to submit written comments • Conference calls and meetings • Webpage for stakeholders
Implementation Tasks • Emissions quantification framework • Develop approved emissions quantification framework using CA Registry, GHG Protocol tool, EU ETS MRG, etc. • Draft: May-August • Stakeholder review: September-October • General reporting protocol • Draw heavily on CA Registry GRP also using ECR Program specifications, ISO 14064, etc. • Draft: May-September • Stakeholder review: September-October
Implementation Tasks (Cont’d) • Verification protocol • Third party verification, drawing on CA Registry certification, consistent with ISO 14064-3 • Draft: May-August • Stakeholder review: September-October • Data collection system • Assess existing systems and flexibility for future needs as well as multi-system options • Refine system(s) for use: July-December • Stakeholder feedback: Ongoing • Administrative processes • Likely to resemble CA Registry