The Murphy administration unveiled steps for how it will rejoin the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative in 2020 after withdrawing from the multistate cooperative eight years ago.The Murphy administration unveiled steps for how it will rejoin the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative in 2020 after withdrawing from the multistate cooperative eight years ago.

Under the rules issued Monday, the administration plans to pursue a carbon dioxide cap for the state’s electricity generation sector at 18 million tons in 2020. The administration said it would be able to lower the state’s annual greenhouse gas emissions to 11.5 million tons by 2030.

“Pulling out of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative in 2012 was not only an abdication of leadership, but it also cost us millions of dollars that could have been used to increase energy efficiency and improve air quality in our communities,” Gov. Phil Murphy said in a Monday statement.

As part of the second rule, the administration will hammer out a framework for how it will spend the proceeds on the RGGI’s carbon-allowance auctions, with an emphasis on putting the money towards “disproportionately burdened communities.”

Consisting of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont, the cooperative is aiming to reduce carbon emissions through a cap-and-trade auction that encourages investments in renewable energy and improvements to power plant technology.

In 2011 former Gov. Chris Christie announced he would pull the state out of the cooperative, saying it was not effective in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and instead piled on expenses for electricity consumers.

After taking office in January, Murphy signed an executive order directing the Board of Public Utilities and Department of Environmental Protection to develop concrete steps and rules for how the state could rejoin the RGGI.

“Today’s action is an important first step toward restoring our place as a leader in the green economy and keeping us on a path to 100 percent clean energy by 2050 for the benefit of all New Jerseyans,” Murphy said.

The DEP plans to hold hearings in January on the proposed rulings.