Abstract |
The states and municipalities of the mid-Atlantic have been at the forefront of developing and implementing climate change policies to reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 3 includes several states involved in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), the country's first market-based, mandatory cap-and-trade program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as well as other states and local governments that have been developing innovative policies to provide increased energy efficiency and promote renewable energy. As a federal regulatory framework for climate change mitigation emerges, EPA Region 3 continues to increase our level of effort in promoting energy efficiency, renewable energy, and other greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction strategies. This document is intended to summarize current GHG-related activities across Region 3. It includes specific information on activities underway in each mid-Atlantic state, with an emphasis on the major municipalities that are home to so many of our residents. It provides a brief look at how regional priorities intersect with climate change and how the connections are manifesting through regional programs. It also includes several appendices with detailed information on state policies related to renewable energy and efficiency as well as several EPA efforts to assist metropolitan areas and other organizations with climate change planning. |