NR 437.02(7)(7) “Greenhouse gas” means carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, sulfur hexafluoride or any other gas that traps heat in the atmosphere. NR 437.02(8)(8) “Law” means any federal or state statute, rule, order, mandatory emission limiting condition in an air permit or other legal requirement. NR 437.02(9)(9) “Mandatory emission limiting condition in an air permit” means a condition in an air pollution control permit that restricts emissions in order to comply with a federal or state statute, rule, order or other legal requirement or in order to avoid application of a federal or state statute, rule, order or other legal requirement. “Mandatory emission limiting condition in an air permit” does not include a permit condition that reflects a lower emission level that is the result of a voluntary action or a contractual agreement with the department, such as an agreement under the Environmental Cooperative Agreement program (s. 299.80, Stats.), or a federal voluntary program. NR 437.02(10)(10) “Ozone precursor” means nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds. NR 437.02(11)(11) “Quantification protocol” means a replicable and workable method or set of methods for quantifying emissions, emission rates, or the amount of carbon sequestered. NR 437.02(12)(12) “Renewable energy project” means a project or facility that produces energy from a renewable resource. NR 437.02(13)(13) “Renewable resource” means any of the following: direct radiation from the sun, geothermal energy, wind, tidal or wave action, flowing water, biomass, human waste, or animal waste. NR 437.02(14)(14) “Voluntary emission reduction” or “VER” means any emission reduction, avoided emission or carbon sequestration that occurs before it is required by law or that results in emissions that are lower than those allowed by law. NR 437.02 HistoryHistory: CR 02-012: cr. Register October 2002 No. 562, eff. 11-1-02. NR 437.03NR 437.03 Eligibility. Any person may register VERs under this chapter. VERs may be registered if they meet all of the following requirements, as applicable: NR 437.03(1)(1) The VERs are not required by or go beyond the requirements of law. The following are examples of VERs that are eligible for registration: NR 437.03(1)(a)(a) VERs that result from actions taken to comply with a law that result in reductions of greenhouse gas or air contaminant emissions that are not required by or go beyond those required by law. NR 437.03(1)(b)(b) VERs that are made after an applicable law is in effect but before the reduction is required by law. NR 437.03(1)(c)(c) VERs that are made and are reflected in an air pollution control permit, as long as the level of reduction is beyond what is required by law. NR 437.03 NoteNote: A VER may be reflected in an air pollution control permit when, for example, the permit contains a requirement to use air pollution control equipment which reduces emissions beyond what is required by law. VERs that are later used to meet netting or offset requirements or to qualify as a synthetic minor source under air permitting requirements are no longer eligible for registration under this chapter.
NR 437.03(1)(d)(d) VERs that are part of a contractual agreement with the department, as defined within the contractual agreement. NR 437.03(2)(2) The VER is the result of one or more actions taken. Examples of actions include: NR 437.03(2)(b)(b) Installation and operation or modification of emission control equipment. NR 437.03(2)(c)(c) Implementation of energy efficiency measures by the energy producer or user. NR 437.03(2)(e)(e) Changes to, replacement of, or retirement of a manufacturing or combustion process. NR 437.03(2)(k)(k) Projects to collect, store and dispose of mercury-containing products in a manner that will prevent or minimize future releases of mercury into the environment. NR 437.03(3)(3) The action and VER occur within the state of Wisconsin.