Rhode Island Negotiated Rulemaking on Renewable Energy Standards Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission
Raab Associates mediated a negotiated rulemaking to develop the rules to implement Rhode Island’s Renewable Energy Standards (aka Renewable Portfolio Standards) law. Passed in 2004, the law requires electricity suppliers to rely on an increasing percentage of renewable energy resources (up to 16% in 2020) to supply Rhode Island consumers. The rulemaking included over 15 stakeholder organizations and covered a wide range of issues. This diverse group met 8 times over six months and developed a 41 page report (not including appendices), reaching a consensus on all but a few issues. The final report to the PUC contained the proposed rules and a discussion of the alternatives proposed on the few non-consensus issues. The Commission then held a technical session with the negotiating group to better understand both the proposed rules and the non-consensus issues. Following this technical session, the PUC made tentative decisions on the non-consensus issues, essentially issuing the Group’s proposed rules as its own draft rules for the required notice and comment period. After holding an additional hearing, the Commission issued final rules in December 2005.
