July 7, 2008—Florida Governor Charlie Crist approved recently a wide-ranging energy bill that intends to advance energy efficiency and renewable energy within the state while cutting the state’s emissions of greenhouse gases.
House Bill 7135 requires the Florida Public Service Commission to establish a renewable portfolio standard (RPS) that will specify a minimum percentage of retail electricity sales that must be supplied by renewable energy, but the bill does not set the minimum standard or a timeline. Instead, the bill requires the commission to prepare a draft rule by February 2009 and present it to the legislature for approval.
The bill also requires the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to create a cap-and-trade regulatory program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from major emitters. Again, the bill sets no specific limits and requires any program to be ratified by the legislature. The RPS and greenhouse gas program will presumably follow the targets included in executive orders issued by Governor Crist last year.
For more information, see the article from this newsletter.
