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The amount of greenhouse gases that can be released under a multi-state pollution reduction agreement is being lowered.
The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative — or RGGI — is a pact between nine states that introduces a market-based regulatory program that enforces restrictions on air pollution by making states bid for allowances in carbon dioxide. In other words, it's a way to make people who pollute a lot pay for it, and encourage people who don't need to pollute to pollute less.
On Thursday, the states participating in the RGGI announced that they are drastically cutting the total amount of carbon dioxide emissions they're allowing, shrinking the pollution pie that power plants and other polluters have to fight over.
Specifically, they're reducing that pie by 45 percent below 2005 levels by 2014. Maryland officials say the program is a cornerstone of its plan to cut greenhouse gases by a quarter by 2020.
In Maryland, auction proceeds are used for programs including energy efficiency, conservation, low-income energy aid and clean energy.
James Gandolfini Dies At 51 While On Trip To Italy
Actor James Gandolfini, 51, has reportedly died. Variety magazine reports that he suffered a "sudden stroke." The cause of death is not yet known with certainty, but HBO says the actor may have suffered a heart attack.And The Winner Of The World Food Prize Is ... The Man From Monsanto
The prize is sometimes called the "Nobel Prize for food and agriculture." And this year's winners include Monsanto executive Robert Fraley, a pioneer in genetically engineered crops. If there's a single person who personifies the company's controversial role in American agriculture, it's probably Fraley.Meet The New Governor: Sharply Partisan And Upwardly Mobile
For years, governors were considered the most pragmatic figures in politics. Now, they're using their states to run ideological experiments.Microsoft Responds To Fan Outcry, Changes Xbox One Policies
Microsoft has changed policies regarding Internet connection and used game capabilities for its upcoming Xbox One gaming console. The company says it is responding to feedback from consumers.Leave a Comment
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