CONCORD - Gov. John Lynch today commended the House’s approval of a bill to allow New Hampshire to officially join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, which is aimed at reducing the harmful pollution that is causing global climate change.

Gov. Lynch made it a priority to pass legislation enabling New Hampshire to enact the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI).

“We are dedicating ourselves here in New Hampshire to reducing the pollution that causes global warming and climate change, and joining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative is a major part of that effort. Cutting our greenhouse gas pollution is the right thing to do for the long-term health of our citizens, the health of our environment and our economy,” Gov. Lynch said.

Gov. Lynch signed onto the bipartisan RGGI agreement with other governors in 2005, and New Hampshire’s Department of Environmental Services played an integral role in developing the initiative.

The Initiative uses a flexible market-based program to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel-burning plants. The nine states in the Northeast who have committed to RGGI have agreed to set statewide caps on emissions from power plants. Research by the University of New Hampshire shows that the initiative will lead to greater energy efficiency, which will save New Hampshire ratepayers money in the long run.

“Our nine neighboring states are already committed to moving forward with RGGI. We must be a partner with them, or risk getting left behind,” Gov. Lynch said. “I commend the House for passing this important bill and thank the House Science and Technology Committee for all its hard work on this issue.”

The bill’s bipartisan sponsors are Reps. Naida Kaen, Suzanne Harvey, and Richard Barry; Sens. Maggie Hassan, Martha Fuller Clark, Peter Bragdon, Bob Odell and Sylvia Larsen.