The rise and fall of open market emissions trading in New Jersey

On August 2, 1996, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) promulgated rules governing its Open Market Emissions Trading (OMET) program. With a goal to provide industry with a greater degree of flexibility in meeting federal air compliance directives and simultaneously move the state towards the attainment of National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), this program is now slated for termination following scrutiny from the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), environmental groups and a new NJDEP administration. This thesis discusses the basis for this scrutiny and other program flaws discovered through interviews with, and public comments from, NJDEP and EPA officials, industry representatives, environmental advocates and former members of the New Jersey State Legislature. The results of this work are also placed against the political background that gave rise to open market trading in New Jersey, and may have hindered the program's success.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science in Environmental Policy Studies - (M.S.)

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Chemistry and Environmental Science

Year

2004

Author dc:creator

• DeMarco, Devin Peter

Contributors dc:contributor

• Maurie J. Cohen
• Nancy L. Jackson
• Zeyuan Qiu

• New Jersey -- Department of Environmental Protection
• Open Market Emissions Trading
• National Ambient Air Quality Standards
• Sustainability

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.njit.edu/theses/546

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.njit.edu:theses-1545