WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Edward J. Markey, a senior member of the House Resources and Energy and Commerce Committees, criticized Governor Mitt Romney’s decision yesterday to pull Massachusetts out of the Northeast Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). 

“Governor Romney’s decision is a big blow to efforts to reduce our state’s emissions of the greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming,” said Rep. Markey. “The Northeast Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative is a critical step forward not only for the people of Massachusetts, but also for the rest of the country as a model for what can be accomplished through market-based reductions in carbon dioxide emissions,” said Rep. Markey.

The agreement, representing unprecedented regional cooperation among the governors of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, and Vermont, would have strengthened air quality standards to reduce asthma and respiratory illnesses among children and the elderly.  It would provide for a market-based cap and trade program between seven Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states for greenhouse gas emissions from power plants – capping carbon dioxide emissions at approximately current levels through 2015 and then achieving a 10 percent reduction from current levels by 2020. The states will review the program in 2012.

The regional effort may now be considerably compromised by Governor Romney’s about-face.

 “In one week, George Bush has refused to participate in a global discussion about the future of greenhouse gas emissions in our country and Mitt Romney has refused to participate in this landmark regional greenhouse gas cap,” continued Markey. “The United States produces 25 percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions but the Bush-Romney Republican Party has assumed zero percent of the responsibility for creating a solution,” Markey concluded.

Nationwide, power plants are the leading industrial source of air pollution, producing 39% of carbon dioxide emissions. Carbon Dioxide is not only the leading greenhouse gas, but also increases cases of asthma and respiratory illness. The Northeast RGGI is supported by a number of power companies operating in the Northeast, including Keyspan, National Grid and Calpine.