The Climate Change Policy Task Force has released the New Hampshire Climate Action Plan and created a public/private partnership that will oversee and guide the plan's implementation. The partnership, the New Hampshire Energy and Climate Collaborative, includes representatives from the state's businesses, public entities, nonprofit organizations and educational institutions.
The 29-member Climate Change Policy Task Force, created through an executive order issued by Gov. John Lynch, D-N.H., developed the climate action plan over the course of a year through a public process that involved more than 125 stakeholders and input from over 200 citizens.
The plan includes 67 recommended actions to achieve an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions below 1990 levels by 2050, while providing long-term economic benefits to New Hampshire.
Actions recommended by the task force include the following:
– promoting renewable energy through the renewable portfolio standard,
– increasing renewable and low-carbon dioxide (CO2) thermal energy systems,
– promoting low- and non-CO2-emitting electric generation,
– identifying and deploying the next generation of electric grid technologies,
– enabling importation of Canadian hydro and wind generation; and
– allowing regulated utilities to build renewable generation,
A key recommendation in the plan is the creation of the New Hampshire Energy and Climate Collaborative, a partnership of leading private and public institutions from across the state. The primary purpose of the collaborative will be to track and facilitate implementation of the plan's recommendations, and to report on progress toward achieving the desired goals.
SOURCE: Office of Gov. John Lynch
