Wisconsin Governor's Task Force on Climate Change Report

(State of Wisconsin) ... Our charge is to combat the crisis at hand, to do so in a way that weds science and data with the experiences of citizens in the state, to learn how different communities and industries have been impacted, and to learn from those that are already leading the way in combatting this crisis.

And that’s exactly what this task force did. We focused our work on the people of Wisconsin. We united a diverse coalition—representing different perspectives, communities, and industries—with a shared vision to make Wisconsin a cleaner, safer, and more equitable state.

We also focused on listening to the voices that have gone unheard by past leaders of this state and nation—the voices of people of color and low-income communities, whose air and water are more likely to be polluted but whose communities are far less likely to be included in policymaking. These voices must be part of the conversation and drive solutions—anything less will continue the long pattern of environmental racism we have witnessed in this country.

The policy solutions you will find in this report lay the foundation for our state to become a leader in tackling the climate crisis. And while adopting those policies is an important first step, it’s clear that our state must continue to take bold, aggressive actions in order to protect our precious natural resources and preserve our beautiful outdoor spaces.

Tier 2 policy options are proposals that were raised and, to some extent, discussed during the task force process or brought up during the public hearing and public comment period. Each of these options drew both support and concern from task force members, a reflection of the diversity of perspective and world-view of the members. They are included as Tier 2 proposals to indicate they may merit further discussion and consideration outside of the work of the
task force.

#54 Promote the use of clean transportation fuels to ensure immediate and long-term emissions reductions
S T R ATEGIES
• Utilize low-emissions fuels such as compressed natural gas and propane autogas (also known as liquified petroleum gas (LPG)) as bridge fuels to achieving a decarbonized transportation system that includes widespread adoption of zero-tailpipe-emissions technologies such as electric and fuel cell vehicles.
EA Executive/Agency Action

C L I M ATE SOLUTIONS
• Expand the use of renewable fuels including ethanol, biodiesel, renewable natural gas, and renewable propane gas.
• Establish an advisory committee that will analyze and chart a clean fuel policy pathway. Fuels should be evaluated based on their GHG emissions intensity using lifecycle accounting.
• Design a market-based clean fuels policy by July 1, 2021 that:
– Remains fuel and technology neutral, relying on a portfolio of clean fuels including biodiesel, ethanol, renewable natural gas, electricity, hydrogen, and other renewable and low-carbon fuels.
– Develops regulations that establish the program and defines Wisconsin’s fuel standards and ability to establish a reasonable percent reduction in carbon intensity in transportation (aim for a 15–25 percent reduction by 2035).
– Establishes incentives from the fuel market and eliminates deficits by imposing costs, so that money stays in and is redistributed in the fuel market.
– Collaborates with other Midwestern states as part of a regional clean fuels program.

To date, two states—California and Oregon—have adopted a market-based clean fuels standard (also known as a low-carbon fuel standard (LCFS)) to decrease the GHG intensity of transportation fuels over time. The GHG intensity is a performance-based measure of GHG emitted over the full lifecycle of a fuel. This approach includes accounting for the GHG emissions from extraction to vehicle operations.229 Lifecyle accounting also provides an incentive for improvements anywhere along the supply chain. Clean fuel standards have proven to be a fuel- and technology-neutral
policy that cost-effectively reduces transportation GHG emissions, provides local economic benefits, increases energy independence, and improves health through reduced air pollution.

The first step in developing a standard is setting the average annual carbon intensity that a regulated entity must comply with—a percent reduction with a declining benchmark each year.

For instance, California’s carbon intensity standard is 20 percent below 2010 by 2030; Oregon’s standard is 10 percent below 2015 by 2025.230, 231 Because the standard is performance-based, fuel suppliers (the regulated entity) are free to choose how they meet the emissions target, thus having the flexibility to lower the GHG intensity of their fuels by providing low-emitting fuel alternatives (such as electricity, biofuels, renewable natural gas, and hydrogen) or through buying emissions credits. Credits are generated when a fuel is below the annual benchmark and deficits are created when a fuel is above the benchmark. This market-based approach provides flexibility and lowers cost of compliance, leading to innovation in transportation fuels.

In January 2020, the Great Plains Institute published a whitepaper, A Clean Fuels Policy for the Midwest, which analyzes the impact of a clean fuels policy in the Midwest accompanied by a series of principles for Midwest states to consider. This research and principles can serve as a foundation for supporting Wisconsin’s approach to adopting a clean fuels policy. READ MORE