Resolve, To Reduce Greenhouse Gases and Consumer Energy Costs
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 0863
Committee: Energy, Utilities and Technology
Sponsors: YOUNGBLOOD, PLUMMER, THIBODEAU, THOMAS, BEAVERS, HARVELL, JOHNSON, RUSSELL

Legislative Document 
No. 863 
S.P. 288 
In Senate, March 5, 2013 
Resolve, To Reduce Greenhouse Gases and Consumer Energy Costs 
Reference to the Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology suggested and ordered 
printed. 
DAREK M. GRANT 
Secretary of the Senate 
Presented by Senator YOUNGBLOOD of Penobscot. 
Cosponsored by Senators: PLUMMER of Cumberland, THIBODEAU of Waldo, THOMAS of 
Somerset, Representatives: BEAVERS of South Berwick, HARVELL of Farmington, 
JOHNSON of Eddington, RUSSELL of Portland. 
Sec. 1.  Offset category for fuel switching.  Resolved:  That the Department of 
Environmental Protection and the Public Utilities Commission shall work together to 
develop and promote for adoption by the other states participating in the regional 
greenhouse gas initiative an offset category in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative 
Act of 2007 to provide incentives for industrial and residential consumers to switch from 
the use of oil and coal as fuel to fuels with lower greenhouse gas emissions.  The 
department and the commission shall work together to promote the inclusion of such an 
offset category in any national program or in any state or regional program.  In 
developing the offset category, the department shall include the following factors. 
1.  Fuel switching to natural gas, biomass and other renewable fuels is eligible. 
2.  Offset amounts must be calculated on the basis of the net reduction in carbon 
dioxide equivalents from the prior fuel used. 
3.  Eligible fuel use may only include fuel use as of a baseline period. 
4.  A consumer may transfer that consumer's offset credits to a 3rd party that provides 
financing or other financial considerations to enable the fuel switching project to occur. 
The department shall provide an opportunity for stakeholder input in the development 
of the offset category. 
The department shall submit a progress report on the development of the offset 
category to the Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources and the 
Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology by March 1, 2014.  The 
department shall provisionally adopt major substantive rules as described in the Maine 
Revised Statutes, Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A regarding the offset category no 
later than March 1, 2015 for review by the joint standing committee of the Legislature 
having jurisdiction over environment and natural resources matters and the joint standing 
committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over energy, utilities and technology 
matters. 
SUMMARY 
This resolve directs the Department of Environmental Protection and the Public 
Utilities Commission to work together to develop a new regional greenhouse gas 
initiative offset category for fuel switching and further directs the Department of 
Environmental Protection and the Public Utilities Commission to promote this category 
with other regional greenhouse gas initiative states.  The Department of Environmental 
Protection is required to provisionally adopt major substantive rules regarding the offset 
category and submit them to the Legislature by March 1, 2015.