The department, in consultation with the Maine Climate Council, established under section 577-A, shall evaluate the State's progress toward meeting the reductions specified in section 576-A and progress toward implementing the climate action plan in section 577. The department, after consultation with the council, shall submit a report of its evaluation to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over natural resources matters and the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over utilities and energy matters by December 1, 2022 and by that date every 2 years thereafter. The report must include, but is not limited to, an evaluation of gross annual greenhouse gas emissions, including an identification of greenhouse gas emissions by source category, energy emissions and consumption and an economic analysis of greenhouse gas emissions per unit of economic activity; an evaluation of net annual greenhouse gas emissions, including the State's carbon budget, forest carbon markets and a time series analysis of net greenhouse gas emissions; and an evaluation of sector-specific progress made toward meeting the reductions specified in section 576-A. The department, in consultation with the council, may recommend other metrics to share the progress on climate mitigation and adaptation strategies with the Legislature and the public. The joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over natural resources matters is authorized to report out legislation relating to the report required under this section, and the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over utilities and energy matters may make recommendations to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over natural resources matters regarding that legislation. [PL 2023, c. 234, §3 (AMD).]
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