HARTFORD– Connecticut today moved forward with two landmark efforts to reduce emissions of global warming pollutants. The state officially announced that it is joining a multi-state agreement intended to reduce global warming emissions from power plants in the Northeast 10% by the year 2019. Also today, a legislative committee gave final approval to new “clean car” tailpipe standards requiring automakers to cut tailpipe emissions of global warming pollutants.

“Today’s actions continue Connecticut’s leadership role in the fight against global warming,” said ConnPIRG Advocate, Christopher Phelps. “While the federal government continues to fail to take action, states such as Connecticut are stepping up and providing the leadership necessary to achieve meaningful reductions in the pollution that is fueling global warming.”

Governor Rell and six other Northeastern governors today unveiled a bipartisan accord that will cut heat trapping global warming emissions from the region’s power plants and create new investment in cleaner, more efficient energy technology.

Known as the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), the accord takes effect in 2009 and will reduce carbon dioxide pollution to a level 10 percent below current emissions by 2019. It is also expected to help lower utility bills by creating opportunities for consumers and businesses to use energy more efficiently.

“By putting forward this plan that will stabilize and begin to reduce global warming pollution from power plants, the governors are setting a remarkable precedent. We look forward to working with Connecticut officials to ensure the final rules achieve the promise of reducing pollution from power plants while maximizing the economic and environmental benefits to the region from smart and efficient use of our energy sources,” said Phelps.

Also today, the General Assembly’s Regulation Review committee gave final approval to the second phase of clean car regulations called for by the Clean Cars Law enacted by the legislature in 2004. The new tailpipe emission standards establish limits on emissions of global warming pollutants from new cars and trucks. By enacting these latest clean car standards, Connecticut joins states including California, New York and Massachusetts in setting the strongest-in-the-nation tailpipe standards for smog-forming, toxic, and global warming pollutants from new cars and trucks.

A recent ConnPIRG Report, “Cars and Global Warming,” found that the tailpipe standard for global warming pollution can reduce emissions from new cars and trucks 12 percent by the year 2020. Additional information, and full copy of the report, is available at www.connpirg.org.

“As with the announced power plant initiative, the tailpipe emission standard represents the strongest effort in the nation to limit global warming pollution from cars and trucks,” said Phelps. “Connecticut’s action today establishes our state at the forefront of national efforts to limit emissions of the global warming pollution that threatens our economy and our environment.”