3 States in Regional DCompact Raid Pollution Funds
20th December 2010
Two of the 10 Northeast states that agreed to dedicate millions of dollars to reduce carbon emissions and promote green energy have reneged on their promise, instead diverting substantial funds to saving their budgets.
New York and New Jersey over the past year have raided accounts set up under the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, the first mandatory U.S. cap-and-trade program for carbon dioxide. The accounts were created to pay for energy efficiency programs aimed at reducing the region’s pollution by 10 percent by 2018.
Citing their example, New Hampshire dipped into its fund in June to help balance its budget.
New York took $90 million last fall _ roughly half of its fund; New Jersey zeroed out its fund, taking all $65 million; and New Hampshire, a much smaller state, took $3.1 million in June. In all three states, the money was used to pay the state’s bills.
Hey, hiring and paying government workers is job one. Pollution control we get to if there’s anything left.