WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-MA), a senior member of the House Resources and Energy and Commerce Committees, along with Senators Ted Kennedy and John Kerry and Representatives Barney Frank, Richard Neal, John Olver, Marty Meehan, Bill Delahunt, Jim McGovern, John Tierney, Mike Capuano and Steve Lynch sent a letter to Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney today, once again urging him to agree to have Massachusetts join The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), a pact critical to reducing emissions that lead to global warming. The correspondence serves as a follow-up to a December 2005 letter to the Governor in which the Massachusetts Congressional delegation originally expressed the need to partner with seven other Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic States, to which Governor Romney has not responded. The historic regional agreement would cap carbon dioxide emissions at current levels through 2015 and aims to reduce emissions by 10 percent by 2020.

“We need to take real, immediate action in Massachusetts and nationwide to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming and impair public health,” said Rep. Markey. “Not only has Governor Romney chosen to keep Massachusetts out of this historic agreement, but he has yet to respond to our letter from 10 months ago with his reasons for doing
“With pollution-induced asthma and respiratory rates in children and the elderly on the rise, carbon dioxide emissions serve as the leading cause of global warming,” Rep. Markey continued. “As California displays bipartisan support in recent legislation passed last week to reduce greenhouse gasses, Governing Romney’s inaction is pushing Massachusetts to take steps away from a cooperative solution, while the rest of the country concerns grow with a need to target global warming head on.

The letter outlines the Commonwealth’s responsibility to join the charge in protecting the environment, “New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont have all joined this regional pact, and Maryland is currently in the process of joining the program. Of the seven states that have already joined RGGI, Massachusetts is the second largest emitter of the leading greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide, from power plants.”

Nationwide, power plants are the leading industrial source of air pollution, producing 39% of carbon dioxide emissions. The Northeast RGGI is supported by a number of power companies operating in the Northeast, including Keyspan, National Grid and Calpine.

A copy of the letter to the Governor is below and can be found here: MA Delegation RGGI Follow-Up. September 12 2006.pdf

September 12, 2006

The Honorable Mitt Romney
State House
Office of the Governor
Room 360
Boston, MA 02133

Dear Governor Romney:

We are writing to follow-up on a letter that the entire Massachusetts Congressional Delegation sent to you on December 14, 2005 expressing our belief that you should join the governors of seven other Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic states in signing the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) and to which no response has been forthcoming.

RGGI is an historic regional agreement to curb the greenhouse gas emissions from power plants that cause global warming.  It uses a market-based approach to achieve a 10 percent reduction by 2020.  New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont have all joined this regional pact, and Maryland is currently in the process of joining the program.  Of the seven states that have already joined RGGI, Massachusetts is the second largest emitter of the leading greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide, from power plants.

We are concerned that as the governor of the Commonwealth, you have chosen not only to withdraw Massachusetts from this multi-state cooperative undertaking, but have chosen not to offer any explanation or response to our earlier letter.  Massachusetts’ failure to participate in this important agreement to reduce greenhouse gasses was made even more glaring last week when the California State Legislature, with the support of a Republican governor, passed a bill that would also significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions in that state. California’s legislation would reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the state to 1990 levels by 2020 -- amounting to roughly an 11% reduction from current levels.  California’s plan applies not only to power plants but also to other sources of greenhouse gases, such as industrial facilities and mobile sources.

California’s action is just the latest example of the rapidly growing sentiment around the country that we must take real, meaningful and immediate steps to reduce the emissions that are leading to global warming. We encourage you to take such action by reconsidering your earlier decision and authorizing the participation of Massachusetts in this important initiative. In any event, we would appreciate a response regarding this matter at your earliest convenience.

Sincerely,

Edward J. Markey    Edward M. Kennedy

Barney Frank          John F. Kerry

Richard E. Neal       John W. Olver

Martin T. Meehan    William D. Delahunt    

James P. McGovern      John Tierney

Michael E. Capuano    Stephen F. Lynch

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 12, 2006

CONTACT: Israel Klein
202.812.8193