Lawmakers in the New Hampshire House and Senate have agreed to try to reform RGGI – the region’s carbon cap-and-trade program – instead of trying to repeal it outright.
The bill that will go to the House and Senate for a final vote would only send around half of the RGGI fund money to energy efficiency programs. The rest would be rebated to electricity rate-payers.
Senate Majority Leader Jeb Bradley, says he thinks the House would not have agreed to the changes if it didn’t have the votes to pass it.
"You know in the spirit of compromise we’re gonna get it done," said Bradley, "and I think we’ll have the votes in the Senate."
Getting enough votes in the House for anything less than a full repeal of RGGI has been difficult in the past. Last year, the senate was unable to gather the votes to overturn a governor’s veto of a full repeal.