NOTICE FROM California Environmental Protection Agency:
This workshop is part of the public process to develop the State's Clean Power Plan compliance proposal and 2016 amendments to the Cap-and-Trade Regulation related to the electricity sector.
Staff will present policy options and modeling results and seek stakeholder input regarding California's potential strategy for Clean Power Plan compliance. The staff presentation will include initial approaches and results for electricity sector carbon emissions analysis consistent with the Clean Power Plan, and options for continued analysis, as well as initial discussion for how California's compliance plan may interact with regional electricity and carbon markets.
Staff will also discuss potential modifications to the Cap and Trade and Mandatory Greenhouse Gas Reporting Regulations, including modifications which may be effective in the post-2020 Program, and to permitting programs, which may be proposed in 2016 to enable Clean Power Plan compliance. Staff anticipates that the Cap-and-Trade Regulation will play a large role in the Clean Power Plan compliance plan. These amendments may include changes to reporting and verification deadlines, compliance periods, changes needed to address federal plan requirements, and treatment of imported electricity. A staff white paper on many of these issues is available on ARB's Power Plants webpage at:
Staff will also present Cap and Trade Regulation goals for the upcoming amendment process and seek input from stakeholders on potential Regulation amendments that will apply to the Program's third compliance period and to the post 2020 Program. Third compliance period amendments to be discussed by staff at this meeting will include changes to the Renewable Portfolio Standard adjustment for compliance obligations. Staff does not plan to discuss proposals for post 2020 electrical distribution utility allocation until early 2016.
Finally, staff will discuss potential amendments or processes related to the electricity sector including the recent mandates of SB 350 for the electricity sector.
Environmental Analysis
Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and ARB's Certified Regulatory Program (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, 15251(d); staff is reviewing the Clean Power Plan and Cap and Trade Regulatory Amendments to determine if the proposed project will result in any potentially significant adverse environmental impacts. An environmental analysis (EA) will be released for a 45-day public review and comment period with the proposed Clean Power Plan and Cap and Trade Regulatory Amendments to be released in the spring. Comments received at this public workshop will be considered when preparing the CEQA document.
A copy of the presentation and other workshop materials will be available on ARB's Power Plants webpage at:
http://www.arb.ca.gov/cc/powerplants/powerplants.htm and Cap and Trade Workshops and Meetings webpage at:
Materials will be posted by December 14, 2015, at 8:00 a.m.
All interested stakeholders are invited to attend. A live webcast of the workshop will be available at:
Remote participants will be able to submit e-mail questions during the workshop at an address provided in the presentation.
Background
Cap-and-Trade Regulation
The Board first formally adopted the Regulation in October 2011, and subsequently approved limited amendments to the Regulation in June 2012, October 2013, April 2014, September 2014, and most recently June 2015. The upcoming 2016 amendments will seek to improve Program efficiency, update the Regulation using the latest information, and chart post-2020 implementation of the Program.
More information about ARB's Cap-and-Trade Program is available
Clean Power Plan
On August 3, 2015, U.S. EPA's Administrator signed its Clean Power Plan, which sets carbon dioxide emissions limits for many existing electric generating units. These regulations are based on section 111(d) (42 U.S.C. ,7411(d)) of the federal Clean Air Act. The Plan was published in the Federal Register on October 23, 2015. States must develop compliance plans to meet these limits and compliance plans are due in September 2016 (with the option to seek extensions). ARB is developing California's compliance plan in consultation with the California Energy Commission and the California Public Utilities Commission, California's air districts, and other partners.
More information about the Clean Power Plan and related rules is available at:
California is in a drought emergency.
Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips.
