Feb 2020
R.I. to regulate HFC greenhouse gases Providence Business News
Rhode Island is preparing to regulate hydrofluorocarbons, a greenhouse gas common in commercial refrigeration, stationary and mobile air conditioning, heat pumps, foams and aerosols, the R.I. Department of Environmental Management announced on Tuesday. The action will be done along with similar regulations in Massachusetts and Maine, the DEM said. The move comes after federal rules restricting the use of HFC were partially vacated in federal court. “We must use every tool at our disposal to take urgent action on climate change,” Gov. Gina M. Raimondo said in a statement. “In the absence of federal leadership, I’m proud to stand with governors on both sides of the aisle who recognize the dangers of HFCs. It’s time to regulate these harmful pollutants.” One pound of HFCs used in a commercial refrigeration unit in a supermarket will have the same climate impact over 100 years as 2 tons of carbon dioxide, according to the DEM.
Transportation: Advocates say Jay Inslee is poised to secure a climate win E&E News | Maxine Joselow, Feb 2020
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D) could notch a major climate victory this spring — something that often has eluded the environmentally focused politician, advocates said yesterday. Inslee, who ran for president as the self-styled “climate candidate” before withdrawing from the race in August, could succeed in passing a low-carbon fuel standard in Washington state, supporters said during a webinar organized by Climate Solutions, an environmental group. The low-carbon fuel standard would require fuel producers and importers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with gasoline and other transportation fuels. A similar policy is already in place in nearby California, Oregon and British Columbia. If the standard passes the Washington Legislature in the coming weeks, the climate implications would be significant. The transportation sector is the biggest source of carbon dioxide emissions — 42% — in Washington, whose power sector has benefited from an abundance of clean hydropower.
