Climate Change and Rhode Island

Climate change is a major concern for Rhode Island because of its potential impacts on our coastal areas, drinking water, energy supply, economy and health. The following is a summary of the climate change mitigation activities being implemented by the Office of Air Resources:

• Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI): RGGI is a market-based regulatory program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from electric power generating units. RGGI is a cooperative effort among the states of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont. For additional details, please refer to the RGGI page.
• Transporation and Climate Initiative (TCI): a multi-state effort amongst the transportation, energy and environmental state agencies in 11 Mid-Atlantic and Northeast States and the District of Columbia to work collaboratively to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector.
• Clean Fuel Standard (CFS): A program currently being evaluated by 11 Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic states to reduce the carbon intensity of transportation fuels used in the LCFS Region.
• Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) MOU: The governors of 8 states (California, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island and Vermont) signed a memorandum of understanding to take specific actions to put 3.3 million zero emission vehicles on the roads in their states by 2025, along with the refueling infrastructure required to support those vehicles.
• CA vehicle Greenhouse Gas Emission Standards: RI adopted California's greenhouse gas emission standards for motor vehicles (Air Pollution Control Regulation No. 37). The emission standards apply to model year 2009 vehicles and beyond. Standards after model year 2011 were incorporated into the national program (see next bullet).
• Light Duty Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Emission Standards: A national program that applies to passenger cars, light-duty trucks, and medium-duty passenger vehicles, covering model years 2012 through 2025.
• Heavy Duty Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Emission Standards: A national program that applies to heavy duty trucks and buses, covering model years 2014 through 2018.
• Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS): A national program to ensure that transportation fuel sold in the United States contains a minimum volume of renewable fuel.

 

In addition, the Office of Air Resources is involved with:

RI Executive Climate Change Coordinating Council (RIEC4): RIEC4 was established in 2014 with the task to take a lead role in developing a comprehensive approach to address the potential threats from climate change to the State’s environment, economy, and its people. That approach includes both mitigative measures including the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions as well as adapting to impacts that can no longer be avoided. Among other duties, the Council is responsible to submit a plan to the Governor and the General Assembly no later than December 31, 2016 with strategies, programs and actions to achieve specific greenhouse gas reduction targets. The Council is also working to accelerate the State’s preparedness and to mitigate further environmental harm by working alongside Rhode Island’s first Chief Resiliency Officer to develop and lead implementation of a comprehensive climate preparedness strategy by July 1, 2018 in accordance with Executive Order 17-10. The RIEC4 website provides further detail on the specific duties of the Council, members, meeting schedule and materials, and reports and resources.

EPA’s Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) rule (replaces Clean Power Plan): On June 19, 2019, the EPA released the final Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) rule which intends to reduce carbon pollution from the electricity sector. Unlike the Clean Power Plan, the ACE rule is limited to coal-fired plants. Rhode Island’s five electricity generating sources are all combined-cycled natural gas plants therefore the ACE rule does not apply to Rhode Island power plants. For further information on the ACE rule, please refer to ACE page.

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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• RI Climate Change Website
• Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI)
• 2010 RI Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory
• Resilient Rhode Island Act -2014
• RI Executive Climate Change Coordinating Council (RIEC4)
• 2002 RI Greenhouse Gas Process/RIGHG Action Plan
• 2017 NEG/ECP Climate Change Action Plan
• 2001 NEG/ECP Climate Change Action Plan
• Fact Sheet #1 - Why Worry?
• Fact Sheet #2 - Warning Signs
• Fact Sheet #3 - Take Action!
• Fact Sheet #4 - Rising Energy Costs and the Solution
• Take Action Checklist
• Global Warming in Rhode Island - Warning Signs, Winning Solutions
• RI Office of Energy Resources
• US EPA