Thursday, May 3, 2012

arbcombo -- ARB APPLICATION FORMS FOR OFFSET PROJECT REGISTRIES, EARLY ACTION OFFSET PROGRAMS, OFFSET VERIFIERS, AND OFFSET VERIFICATION BODIES

The Air Resources Board (ARB or Board) has posted on its
Cap-and-Trade Program's Compliance Offset Program webpage
(http://www.arb.ca.gov/cc/capandtrade/offsets/offsets.htm)
application forms for approving Offset Project Registries and
Early Action Offset Programs and accrediting offset verifiers and
offset verification bodies

BACKGROUND:
The California Cap on Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Market-Based
Compliance Mechanisms Regulation was adopted by the California
Air Resources Board in October of 2011 and formally went into
effect January 1, 2012. Subarticles 13 and 14 of the regulation
describe the compliance offset program and the approval of Early
Action Offset Credits. Included in these sections is a
requirement for third-party verification of all GHG emission
reductions and GHG removal enhancements before any ARB offset
credits may be issued. Only ARB accredited offset verifiers and
verification bodies may provide offset verification services
under the compliance offset program. Accordingly, ARB has
established a program to accredit offset verifiers and
verification bodies that meet the regulation's requirements. To
assist ARB in administering the compliance offset program, these
sections also include procedures for ARB to approve Offset
Project Registries and Early Action Offset Programs. These new
forms are designed to facilitate interested individuals and
entities in becoming accredited or approved.

To become an accredited offset verifier, the applicant must
submit a completed Verifier Application to ARB along with the
required documentation. To become an accredited offset
verification body, an interested entity must submit a completed
Verification Body Application to ARB along with the required
documentation. To become an approved Offset Project Registry, an
interested entity must submit a completed Offset Project Registry
Application to ARB along with the required documentation. If the
Registry applicant also wishes to become an approved Early Action
Offset Program, it must make one additional attestation in Part
IV of the Offset Project Registry Application.

Once the verifier and Offset Project Registry applications have
been reviewed by ARB and determined to have the potential to meet
the minimum qualifications listed in the regulation, the verifier
applicant or registry staff will be notified of the dates and
locations of ARB approved training courses.

Upon meeting the minimum qualifications listed in the regulation
the Executive Officer may accredit the offset verifiers and
offset verification body applicants and approve the Offset
Project Registry and Early Action Offset Program applicants.

For more information on the Compliance Offset Program, please
visit this webpage:
http://www.arb.ca.gov/cc/capandtrade/offsets/offsets.htm

For any questions regarding the application forms, please contact
Stephen Shelby in ARB's Climate Change Program Evaluation Branch
at (916) 327-8228.


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The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian
needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For
a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy
costs, visit the Flex Your Power website at www.fypower.org .
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