Main

Background

Pennsylvania’s Major Watersheds

Section 96.8 - Trading Regulation

Credit Generation Process

Offset Generation Process

Request for Certification

Calculations

Use of Credits and Offsets

Certified Projects

Contract/Trade Information

Verification Information

Registration Information

Nutrient Credit Clearinghouse

NutrientNet

Cost-effective Review Examples

Fact Sheet

Questions

Nutrient Credit Clearinghouse

On July 22, 2010 the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST), in cooperation with the Department, announced its inaugural step in the creation of a Nutrient Credit Clearinghouse within the Chesapeake Bay watershed in Pennsylvania.

PENNVEST is implementing the Nutrient Credit Clearinghouse as a component of Pennsylvania’s Nutrient Credit Trading Program to encourage the trading of nutrient credits. Regulated public and private wastewater treatment plants, as well as developers and others, may purchase nutrient credits from PENNVEST, who in turn will purchase credits from credit generators and aggregators. These transactions occur through periodic credit auctions as well as through bilateral agreements. To reduce risks to market participants and to ensure a stable marketplace, PENNVEST serves as a Clearinghouse in which credit buyers and sellers contract with PENNVEST rather than directly with each other. In this way, PENNVEST reduces the market risk otherwise facing buyers and sellers, which in turn creates a more viable and robust nutrient credit trading market in Pennsylvania.

The PENNVEST Nutrient Credit Clearinghouse Auction Schedule for the 2011 -2012 Compliance Year is as follows:

  • Forward auctions
    • March 21, 2012
      • To participate in this auction, the pollutant reduction activity will need to be certified by February 8, 2012.
    • June 13, 2012
    • September 12, 2012
  • Spot auction
    • November 7, 2012

PENNVEST held a “spot” auction on November 2, 2011 for the sale and purchase of nutrient credits in the Susquehanna and Potomac watersheds. The public results are as follows:

Public Results for Pennvest Spot Auction November 2nd 2011
Credit: SU-N-11
Bid/Offer Quantity Won Winners: Total Quantity Traded Final Price ($)
BID 20,859.00 Harrisburg Advanced Wastewater Treatment Facility 20,859.00 3.10
OFFER 5,059.00 County of Lycoming    
OFFER 500 Electrocell Technologies Inc.    
OFFER 15,290.00 Elizabethtown Borough    
OFFER 10 Mercuria Energy America, Inc.    
Credit: SU-P-11
Bid/Offer Quantity Won Winners: Total Quantity Traded Final Price ($)
BID 700 The Mountaintop Area Joint Sanitary Authority 700 4.73
OFFER 238 County of Lycoming    
OFFER 462 Electrocell Technologies Inc.    

Information pertaining to the auctions, the most up-to date PENNVEST Nutrient Credit Clearinghouse Rulebook and other Nutrient Credit Clearinghouse details can be found on the PENNVEST Nutrient Credit Trading Program website:

http://www.pennvest.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/nutrient_credit_trading/19518

The information outlined on this website is intended to supplement existing requirements. Nothing on this site shall affect regulatory requirements. The information herein is not an adjudication or a regulation. There is no intent on the part of the Department to give the information on this website that weight or deference. This information establishes the framework, within which the Department will exercise its administrative discretion in the future. The Department reserves the discretion to deviate from this statement if circumstances warrant.

P.O. Box 8465
400 Market Street, 11th Floor
Harrisburg, PA 17105-2063
Phone:  (717) 772-4785
Fax:  (717) 783-4690