Bill Text: MS SB2876 | 2010 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Environmental Quality; require greenhouse gas inventory and voluntary registry.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Failed) 2010-02-02 - Died In Committee [SB2876 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2010-SB2876-Introduced.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2010 Regular Session
To: Environment Prot, Cons and Water Res
By: Senator(s) Dawkins
Senate Bill 2876
AN ACT TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY TO PREPARE AN INVENTORY OF GREENHOUSE GASES AND A VOLUNTARY REGISTRY OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the Mississippi Greenhouse Gas Act.
SECTION 2. The following words and phrases when used in this act shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
(a) "Baseline" means a level of greenhouse gas emissions against which future emissions are measured.
(b) "Department" means the Department of Environmental Quality.
(c) "Greenhouse gases" or "GHGs" means gases in the earth's atmosphere that absorb and reemit infrared radiation, including carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and chlorofluorocarbons.
SECTION 3. (1) The department shall annually create an inventory of GHGs emitted in this state by all sources. This inventory shall establish GHG emission trends and the relative contribution of major sectors, including, but not limited to, the transportation, electricity generation, industrial, commercial, mineral and natural resources, agricultural and domestic sectors.
(2) The department shall establish a baseline of GHG emissions that it shall use to project future GHG emissions in this state in the absence of government intervention.
(3) The inventory and baseline shall be presented to the Governor and the Legislature every three (3) years.
SECTION 4. Within ninety (90) days of the effective date of this act, the department shall create a voluntary greenhouse gas registry through which interested businesses, governments, institutions and other entities can record any reductions in greenhouse gas emissions or any avoided emissions of greenhouse gas emissions that are achieved in the absence of any government regulation. The department shall develop rules and criteria for the operation of the registry and shall create a site on the Internet for the public to examine a current list of registrants and emission reductions and avoidances.
SECTION 5. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2010.
