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arbcombo -- May 2 New Webpages to Support the Potential New Compliance Offset Protocols Rice Cultivation Projects and Mine Methane Capture Projects
Posted: 02 May 2013 10:09:48
ARB will provide information on the public process for consideration of adopting the potential new Compliance Offset Protocols Rice Cultivation Projects and Mine Methane Capture Projects via newly created webpages linked from the main ARB Cap-and-Trade Compliance Offset Program Webpage. Information presented on these webpages will include reference materials, workgroup presentations, draft protocols, and information on how to contact key ARB staff and join technical workgroups. Webpages Links Main Cap-and-Trade Webpage: http://www.arb.ca.gov/cc/capandtrade/capandtrade.htm Compliance Offset Program Webpage: http://www.arb.ca.gov/cc/capandtrade/offsets/offsets.htm Potential New Compliance Offset Protocol Rice Cultivation: http://www.arb.ca.gov/cc/capandtrade/protocols/riceprotocol.htm Potential New Compliance Offset Protocol Mine Methane Capture: http://www.arb.ca.gov/cc/capandtrade/protocols/mmcprotocol.htm Background The California Cap on Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Market-Based Compliance Mechanisms Regulation went into effect on January 1, 2012. The Cap-and-Trade Regulation contains provisions for the use of a limited number of ARB offset credits generated under approved Compliance Offset Protocols to meet an entity’s compliance obligation. Currently the Regulation recognizes four Compliance Offset Protocols: Ozone Depleting Substances Projects, Livestock Projects, Urban Forest Projects, and U.S. Forest Projects. ARB announced at the June 2012 Board Meeting their intent to evaluate additional protocols to help meet the demand for ARB offset credits in the program. ARB has identified two new protocols, Rice Cultivation Projects and Mine Methane Capture Projects, as potentially meeting the requirements specified in the Regulation for approval as Compliance Offset Protocols. The protocol for Mine Methane Capture Projects quantifies reductions in methane emissions from mining operations. Underground and surface mining can release methane to the atmosphere before, during and after the mining process. There are two key sources of methane from active mining: ventilation and degasification. During ventilation dilute methane is vented through mine ventilation shafts. For degasification vertical or horizontal wells remove methane from the underground mine before, during, or after mining. To reduce methane emissions, methane can be captured and used for energy production or flared. The protocol would include methodologies to identify eligible project types, and to identify and quantify of eligible methane sources. The protocol for Rice Cultivation Projects quantifies reductions in methane emissions from flooded rice fields. Flooding results in anaerobic decomposition of organic matter. The organic matter can originate from soil amendments, plant residues or root exudates. The amount of methane produced is affected by the duration of flooding, the rice variety and the availability of crop residues and organic matter. The protocol would use the DeNitrification-DeComposition (DNDC) biogeochemical process model to quantify soil carbon dynamics, nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4) emissions. Projects would be limited to the major rice growing regions in California and the Mid-South (Arkansas, Missouri, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas) for which the DNDC model has been calibrated with empirical data. ARB is considering three eligible practices for California: 1) replacing wet seeding with dry seeding, 2) early drainage at the end of growing season, and 3) rice straw removal after harvest; and four eligible practices for the Mid-South: 1) early drainage at the end of growing season, 2) rice straw removal after harvest, 3) intermittent flooding, and 4) staggered winter flooding. You are receiving this single arbcombo email because you are a subscriber to or have made a public comment to one or more of the following lists: capandtrade, cc, ghg-rep, ghg-ver, offsets.