The House is again considering a bill that would repeal the state’s participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, or RGGI, a carbon cap and trade program.
Opponents and supporters of RGGI wearily filed into the Statehouse, ready to go over the well-rehearsed talking points that they used the last time the program was on the chopping block.
Backers of the repeal say it will save people money on their electric bill. But Mike Fitzgerald with the Department of Environmental services, says repealing the program won’t bring down rates, and instead will just take away state revenue that is used to invest in energy efficiency.
"Again, I’m not an economist, nor do I play one on TV," Fitzgerald says, "but the general rule of thumb is that for a dollar invested in energy efficiency the benefit is about three to four dollars."
Governor Lynch vetoed a repeal of RGGI last year, and the state Senate failed to override it.
