IMPORTING POLLUTION

The report warns that the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) risks 'undercutting itself' because it only prices emissions from power plants within its region. This creates an economic incentive for electricity suppliers in RGGI states to import cheaper, carbon-intensive power from coal-producing states like West Virginia and Ohio. The document provides 'carbon math' showing that utilizing excess capacity from 15 existing coal plants could produce pollution 'three and a half times the cuts expected under the initiative,' and that six plants under construction nearby could emit pollution equal to '140 percent of RGGI’s reductions.' To prevent this 'leak,' the authors suggest capping the entire portfolio of local electricity suppliers, limiting contracts with polluting plants, and requiring suppliers to account for emissions from electricity produced outside the region.

• The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) may inadvertently increase reliance on coal-based electricity from outside its region because it only applies emission prices to power plants within the participating states, making external coal power relatively less expensive.
• The potential for increased coal imports could significantly negate RGGI's emission cuts: using the excess capacity of 15 existing coal plants to the west and south could generate pollution 3.5 times the expected cuts, while six plants under or near construction could emit 140% of the initiative's reductions.
• Proposed expansions of the electricity transmission grid could facilitate a higher flow of coal-based power from non-RGGI states—specifically Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia—into RGGI states such as Delaware, Maryland, and New Jersey.
• Even a small increase in electricity imports from non-RGGI coal plants—less than 5% of current internal demand—would be enough to offset all emission reductions mandated during the initiative's year of deepest cuts.
• To prevent the leakage of emissions, RGGI states could implement policies such as capping the total emissions portfolio of local suppliers, limiting contracts with polluting plants, or requiring suppliers to offset emissions from imported power through investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (2008). IMPORTING POLLUTION. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/importing-pollution_summary.pdf

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. IMPORTING POLLUTION. 2008. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/importing-pollution_summary.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=IMPORTING POLLUTION |date=December 2008 |url=https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/importing-pollution_summary.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{unionofconcernedscientists2008importing, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{IMPORTING POLLUTION}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2008}, month = dec, url = {https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/importing-pollution_summary.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }