Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI)

Use of Auction Proceeds

NYSERDA developed and implemented a process to develop an Operating Plan to summarize and describe the initiatives to be supported with the RGGI auction proceeds. The Plan includes:

1. program selection criteria,
2. an anticipated schedule for implementation of the programs,
3. descriptions of the measurement, verification, and evaluation methods that will be used to judge the impacts and success of the programs, and
4. a quantification of NYSERDA’s costs for administration and evaluation of the programs.

Similar to other programs that NYSERDA administers, the Authority convened an Advisory Group to advise it on how to best use these proceeds. Meetings with the Advisory Group were open to the public. The final version of the Operating Plan was presented to NYSERDA’s Board for review and approval in the April, 2009.

The first step in the process involved the development of a Concept Paper to establish a foundation for programs to be supported with RGGI auction proceeds. The Concept Paper also outlined the process for developing these programs and included some initial ideas about how the proceeds might be used.

• View the Concept Paper
• View Comments on the Comments Paper

Then an open meeting with the Advisory Group was held on November 21, 2008 in Albany, New York at the Desmond Hotel and Conference Center to discuss this Concept Paper. 

• View the November 21 Advisory Group Meeting Agenda  
• View NYSERDA's Development Process presentation 
• View DEC's presentation 
• View video of the RGGI Advisory Group Meeting.

A meeting was also held on January 14, 2009 in Albany to discuss the Concept Paper with various New York State agencies. Presentations from this event are available to download.

• View DEC's Concept Paper presentation
• View NYSERDA's Concept Paper presentations

Another open meeting with the Advisory Group was held to discuss the draft Operating Plan on March 6, 2009 in New York City at the New York State Public Service Commission public hearing room.

• View the March 6 Advisory Group Meeting Agenda
• View the March 6 Advisory Group Presentation
• View the Draft Operating Plan

A Windows Media Player version of the March 6th meeting can be viewed in two parts:  

• Advisory Group Meeting - Part 1 
• Advisory Group Meeting - Part 2 

If you do not have Windows Media Player on your computer, you can download Windows Media Player here.

The final version of the Operating Plan and the Responses to Comments document were distributed to NYSERDA’s Board of Directors for its review and consideration during its April 27, 2009 meeting. The Board approved the Operating Plan at this meeting.

• View Operating Plan Comments
• View NYSERDA Formal Response to Operating Plan Comments
• View the Final Version of the RGGI Operating Plan .

Since a number of factors may impact the roll-out of RGGI programs during the first year of the Operating Plan (e.g., changes in the economy, the uncertainty associated with the pending RGGI litigation, efforts to supplement and not supplant economic stimulus funding, etc.), a provision was included in the final Operating Plan stating that an update will be provided to NYSERDA’s Board of Directors, the Advisory Group and other stakeholders six months after the Operating Plan is approved. It is anticipated that such an update will help determine whether adjustments to the Operating Plan will be needed at that time.

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