Mass. to meet gas reduction target

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As national legislation to reduce global warming emissions has stalled in Congress, Massachusetts is on target to reduce its own emissions more than 18 percent below 1990 levels in the next decade, according to a draft technical report released by the state yesterday.
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Since 2007, the administration of Governor Deval Patrick has put in place ambitious energy efficiency programs, renewable energy goals, and smart growth policies, among other initiatives. Those recent efforts represent about two-thirds of the expected emission reductions by 2020, state officials said. Federal and preexisting state efforts comprise much of the rest.

“This analysis shows that, under Governor Patrick, Massachusetts is making great strides in reducing greenhouse gas emissions,’’ said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Ian Bowles.
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The report, produced for the state by Eastern Research Group, Inc. of Lexington, projected that emissions would be relatively flat between 1990 and 2020 without changes in government policies, and could be lower with the stalled economy.

But when factoring in policies the Patrick Administration has enacted along with federal efforts and some preexisting state policies, the report estimated that emissions would drop 18.6 percent below 1990 levels by 2020.

There are some caveats: Some of the assumptions about greenhouse gas reductions are based on programs not yet in place, although ones the Patrick administration supports, such as bringing a large amount of renewable power from Canada on new transmission lines.
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http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/02/06/mass_to_meet_gas_reduction_target/

Some encouraging news and something to remember as the 2010 gov race proceeds.