The Biden EPA is promising to support efforts by groups of states to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, amid questions from some state regulators on how their existing initiatives, such as a novel emissions trading program for states to reduce transportation sector GHGs, will comport with potential future federal climate policies. "We see our role as supporting and building on the great work that the states are doing," Vicki Arroyo, associate administrator for policy at EPA, said March 17 during a virtual meeting of the Environmental Council of the States (ECOS), although she stopped short of endorsing any specific efforts by states. EPA plans to determine which state climate programs are working, and to figure out "how do we achieve scale," Arroyo said. State initiatives will remain in place regardless of the Biden administration's regulatory efforts, and they should be able to co-exist with future federal measures, she said. "We are not just going to come in and occupy the field with something as big as climate change," effectively preempting state measures, Arroyo said.
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