A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to appropriate funds to global warming initiatives, a nonprofit corporation that encourages industries to reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases and to voluntarily report their emissions for publication in a registry to be published every year by global warming initiatives.
	Whereas, in 1995 the United States Department of Energy and the United States Environmental Protection Agency established a pilot program whereby industries were encouraged to reduce greenhouse gases emissions, to increase energy and process efficiency, and to voluntarily report their greenhouse gases emissions for publication so that these emissions could be monitored; and 
Whereas, in 2001, thirty‑six North Carolina facilities voluntarily provided data on their greenhouse gases emissions, more than any other state that year; and     
	Whereas, the federally sponsored pilot program ended June 30, 2001; and
Whereas, the State Energy Office of the Department of Administration provided fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) for the 2001‑2002 fiscal year to support the continuation of the efforts of the pilot program; however, these funds were not continued for the 2002‑2003 fiscal year due to the State's budget crisis and the lack of matching funds; and	
Whereas, in 2003, Global Warming Initiatives was incorporated as a nonprofit corporation for the purpose of continuing the efforts begun by the federally sponsored pilot program; Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to Global Warming Initiatives the sum of four hundred thousand dollars ($400,000) for the 2004‑2005 fiscal year, to be used to assist Global Warming Initiatives, a nonprofit corporation, to do all of the following:
(1)	Encourage industries to reduce greenhouse gases emissions, to increase energy and process efficiency, and to voluntarily report their greenhouse gases emissions for publication. 
(2)	Publish at least once each calendar year a registry of the data collected from industries under subdivision (1) of this section.
(3)	Recruit additional industries to report their greenhouse gases emissions.
(4)	Study ways to promote wider participation by industry in the voluntary reporting of greenhouse gases emissions, including consideration of the advisability of mandating industry to report these emissions.
(5)	Conduct seminars across the State to inform industry on the activities of Global Warming Initiatives and the benefits of industry participation in its reporting program.
(6)	Continue working with units of local government that participate in the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives, in which the City of Durham, the Towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro, and Orange County currently participate.
(7)	Study the feasibility and desirability of promoting the use in North Carolina of a cap and trade program whereby industries that emit less than a maximum allowed level of greenhouse gases receive credit that may be traded to industries that emit more than that level.
(8)	No later than December 1, 2005, report to the State Energy Office of the Department of Administration, the Environmental Review Commission, and the Fiscal Research Division, which report shall include an itemized account of how the funds appropriated by this act were used, how Global Warming Initiatives accomplished the activities specified under this section, the success of each activity, and any findings or recommendations regarding these activities in reducing greenhouse gases emissions.
SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2004.