The Wisconsin Voluntary Emission Reduction Registry

The Department of Natural Resources will discontinue the state’s Voluntary Emission Reduction Registry (NR437) as of December 31, 2008. The Air Management program developed the voluntary registry in response to state legislation directing the agency to develop a registry for voluntary air emission reductions occurring within the state of Wisconsin.

The registry was established in 2003 to document voluntary reductions of criteria air pollutants and greenhouse gases. The registry had several goals:

• Foster voluntary reductions of criteria and greenhouse gas emissions
• Recognize the activities of public and private sector registrants.
• Encourage early action by industry and institutions to prepare for potential changes in criteria and greenhouse gas emission limits and reporting rules.

Seventeen entities joined the program since 2003. The entities represent a broad cross-section of large to small industries and institutions that undertook a diverse array of projects across Wisconsin. Over thirty-eight million tons of voluntary CO2 emission reductions were registered for projects occurring between 1991 and 2008. In addition, criteria pollutant emissions were also reduced thus minimizing ground level ozone and fine particle pollution.

Final registrants, emission reductions, and summary of reductions and actions taken [Microsoft Excel file, 68KB]

The legacy of many of these projects will be reduced emissions and improved air quality for years into the future. However, even with its successes, the program has now become outdated given the following events:

Governor's Global Warming Task Force – A final report by the Task Force recommended emission reduction goals that will require substantial, verified reductions in greenhouse gases from many of the existing registry participants. These greenhouse gas reductions will cover entity wide emissions as well as the limited project emissions currently reported to the registry.

EPA Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule - This rule is currently under review and is scheduled to go into effect in 2009. The rule will cover many of the entities that are current registry participants and will require significantly more stringent and enforceable reporting and verification protocols for emissions sources.

Regional/National/International regulatory programs – There is a strong likelihood of regional/national/international cap and trade systems that will require emission inventory, quantification, monitoring and verification procedures that are broadly accepted and more rigorous than the state’s registry.

Formation of National and International Voluntary Registries and Markets – More comprehensive registry and market options such as The Climate Registry [exit DNR] and the Chicago Climate Exchange [exit DNR] are now available making a registry constrained to only Wisconsin reductions increasingly less relevant. The Wisconsin only registry also does not offer registrants the full economic value that their voluntary reductions may have under national regulatory programs with credit banking and trading, or in private markets such as selling carbon credits.

If you have any questions about the registry, please contact Ed Jepsen at 608-266-3538; or e-mail Edward.Jepsen@wisconsin.gov.