Public Hearing: CO2 Budget Trading Program

Name: Public Hearing: CO2 Budget Trading Program
Start: 2026-07-28T18:00:00-04:00
End: 2026-07-28T19:00:00-04:00
Location: A Virtual Hearing

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Date and Time:

Tuesday, July 28, 2026
6 pm

Location:

A Virtual Hearing
See Connection Information
, Delaware

Details:

The Division of Air Quality will conduct a public hearing (Docket # 2026-R-A-0003) to consider proposed amendments to the CO₂ Budget Trading Program. Public comment period closed.

Connection Information

Join Online

For audio-only, call 1-301-715-8592 and use Meeting ID 883 5048 7609 and Passcode 004071.

Register to comment verbally during the hearing

Language assistance is available by request within 10 business days of the hearing.
Closed-captioning is available via the ZOOM virtual meeting tool.

Submit a Comment

The purpose of this hearing is to receive comment from the public about proposed changes to Delaware’s CO₂ Budget Trading Program (7 DE Admin. Code 1147).

Since 2009, Delaware and nine other states have implemented a regional program to reduce CO₂ emissions, known as the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). In 2025, Delaware and other participating states finalized revisions to the RGGI program. The purpose of this action is to amend Delaware’s program to reflect these revisions.

The proposed amendments include, among other minor program adjustments:

Adjusting Delaware’s portion of the regional cap beginning in 2027-2037
Replacing the Emissions Containment Reserve with increased minimum reserve price
Amending the quantity of allowances in the Cost Containment Reserve
Adding an additional Cost Containment Reserve
Updating the regional base CO₂ allowance amount
Removing Offsets from RGGI design beginning in 2027

The proposed amendments may be inspected online starting July 1, 2026, in the Delaware Register of Regulations or in-person, by appointment only, by contacting Valerie Gray at Valerie.Gray@delaware.gov or 302-739-9402.

The Department will accept public comment through Aug. 14, 2026. Comments will be accepted in written form via email to DNRECHearingComments@delaware.gov, using the online form at de.gov/dnreccomments, or by U.S. mail to the address on this page.

Public Hearing Officer: Lisa Vest
DNREC Office of the Secretary
89 Kings Highway
Dover, DE 19901

Transcript

Public Hearing Transcript

DNREC Exhibits

Exhibit 1: Start Action Notice approved by the Department Secretary on March 10, 2026

Exhibit 2: List of Interested Parties / Key Stakeholders

Exhibit 3: Proposed Amendments to 7 DE Admin. Code 1147 Delaware’s CO2 Budget Trading Program published in Delaware Register of Regulation, July 1, 2026

Exhibit 4: Regulatory Flexibility Analysis and Impact Statement Form, published in Delaware Register of Regulation, July 1, 2026

Exhibit 5: Regulation 1147 Technical Support Document

Appendix A: IPM-Modeling-0620025.xlsx and RGGI-Program-Review-IPM-Results.xlsx
(Please right-click these EXCEL files and save them to your system to open them)

Exhibit 6: Key Stakeholder Meeting documents for March 26, 2026

Exhibit 7: Public Workshop Meeting documents for April 30, 2026

Exhibit 8: Comments received from the Public Workshop

Exhibit 9: 07-01-2026 Register Notice with 1147 CO2 Budget Trading Program proposal, as published in the Delaware Register of Regulation

Exhibit 10: Affidavits and Legal Notices as published on June 24, 2026 for the News Journal and Delaware State News

Exhibit 11: State Public Meeting Calendar hearing notice, as it appeared June 23, 2026

Exhibit 12: Administrative Law Docket Public Hearing Web Page (This page)

Exhibit 13: DNREC Staff Presentation