FPL strongly supports emissions trading, arguing that emissions from Wyman Station do not contribute to the state's ozone problem, much of which tends to be upwind of the plant. Emissions trading also costs millions of dollars less, says Wiley. The federal agency delivered its guidelines as part of the public comment period on the proposed emissions reduction standards for the Yarmouth power station, the state's largest power plant and potentially its biggest polluter. The federal position is not binding, but it has led Maine environmental officials to consider requiring the plant to be responsible for meeting clean air targets by cleaning its own emissions on site. Brooks believes there is a future in some system of pollution credits.
Emissions trading allows one facility to get credit for emissions reductions at another plant.
The system appeals to industry because some plants can reduce their emissions beyond requirements for less money than other plants would have to pay to meet them. Under the recently proposed Maine plan, FPL was responsible for cleaning its own emissions within 20 percent of clean air goals. The remaining compliance could be attained through purchasing emissions credits. Maine environmental officials sought to craft an emissions trading system that served the state better than one in place in other states. The DEP will now work on revisions to the requirements for Wyman station, They will probably be presented in May to the Board of Environmental Protection.