Mass Emissions Cap and Trade Program
The MECT Program is a market-based cap-and-trade program that implements an annual nitrogen oxides emission cap for applicable facilities in the Houston-Galveston-Brazoria ozone nonattainment area.
Program participants are required to use allowances or discrete emission credits to cover NOX emissions on an annual basis. The allowances available for use each year are capped at a level necessary to attain the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for ozone. Participation from applicable facilities is mandatory.
For more information, including applicability requirements, refer to 30 TAC Chapter 101, Subchapter H, Division 3 
Chapter 117, Subchapter B, Division 3 Chapter 117, Subchapter C, Division 3 and Chapter 117, Subchapter D, Division 1.
Featured Items
- Credit and Allowance Registry
Search for sites, companies, projects, portfolios, certificates, etc. - Credit and Allowance Exchange
Current listing of requests to buy and sell credits and allowances.
Forms
- Form ECT-1 (Annual Compliance Report)
Submit by March 31 after each control period. - Form ECT-2 (Application for Transfer of Allowances)
Submit no later than January 30 after the control period.
Completed example of the Form ECT-2
- Form ECT-3 (Level of Activity Certification)
Only applicable for certain MECT facilities. Refer to 30 TAC §101.360. - Form ECT-4 (Application for Permanent Transfer of Allowance Ownership)
Submit 30 days prior to transfer. - Form ECT-5 (Application for Transfer of Individual Future Year Allowances)
Submit to execute transfer.
Guidance
- Allowance and Emission Reduction Credit Guidance
Guidance for the certification of permanent emission reductions from sources subject to a cap-and-trade program. - Circumvention Trading Memo, January 31, 2003
Policy memo regarding the transfer of allowances. - Circumvention Trading Memo, September 19, 2003
Revisions to January 31, 2003 Circumvention Trading Memo.
Audits and Summary Reports
- 2006 Audit
Evaluated environmental impacts, program participation, and allowance transfers. - Trade Report
List of approved allowance trades. - 2011 Program Report
Annual summary of allowance allocations, emissions, compliance penalties, and transfers. - 2002-2010 Program Reports
Annual program reports for previous control periods.
Contacts
