The Western Climate Initiative (WCI) Partner jurisdictions have released a white paper on Offset Definition and Eligibility Criteria.  The Offsets Committee is working toward recommending the design and operation of an offset system as outlined in the WCI 2009/10 Workplan released February 2009. 

1. Identify options for a definition of a WCI emissions offset and related eligibility criteria for offset projects 
• White paper released July 24, 2009 for stakeholder input
2. Analyze options and stakeholder input
• Draft Recommendations paper released September 2009 for stakeholder input
3. Finalize recommendation with stakeholder input and any further analysis required
• Final Recommendations paper released December 2009

The white paper examines options for defining an offset, as well as options for each of the offset criteria required by the WCI Program Design Recommendations:  real, additional, verifiable, and permanent.  The Offset Committee provides in this white paper an overview of approaches that other systems have taken in defining them, an evaluation of the policy and operational considerations, and a discussion of implementation options of the criteria.
 
The Offset Committee is soliciting stakeholder feedback on the options presented in this white paper to help inform its recommendations to the WCI Partner jurisdictions.  In addition to general feedback, the Offsets Committee is interested in stakeholder responses to the following questions:

• What has been your experience with the offset system examples cited in this paper?  What have been the advantages and disadvantages to their approaches?
• Are the appropriate criteria listed?
• Does the paper include the appropriate options for each criteria?
• Are the implications of the options appropriately covered? 

The Offset Committee looks forward to stakeholder input on this white paper.  Follow this link to provide input.  Written comments will be received until August 21, 2009.  Stakeholders may also provide comment during a conference call on July 30, 2009 from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Pacific time, during which this white paper will be presented and discussed.  To join this call, dial 1-800-868-1837 toll free in the U.S. and Canada (1-404-920-6440 for outside the U.S. and Canada), participant code 659537#.