Marshall Miller & Associates

Marshall Miller & Associates (MM&A) has recently been approved by the Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX) a qualified, independent verifier for carbon credits related to coal mine methane (CMM) and Abandoned Mine Methane (AMM) projects. CCX is the world's first legally binding rules-based greenhouse gas emissions trading system. Basically, carbon credits can be earned (and traded on the exchange) for documented reductions in methane emissions occurring during the mining process if the gas that would have otherwise been emitted to the atmosphere is rather (1) sold as high quality gas on natural gas pipeline system or (2) is used as mid-quality gas in electricity generation.

In order to qualify for the carbon credits, the methane extraction technique must first be approved for use by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) and meet the following eligibility requirements:

Pre-Mining Activities
* CMM collected from wells drilled after January 1, 1999, and mined around or through after January 1, 2003, can be registered and traded on the CCX up to the sales limits sets for years 2003-2006 (Phase I reporting).
* CMM collected from wells drilled after January 1, 1999, and mined around or through after January 1, 2007 (Phase II reporting) and traded on the CCX.

Post-Mining Activities
* CMM from any well drilled at any time, collected after January 1, 2003, which is processed/refined through a low quality gas facility, constructed after January 1, 1999, or utilized in a low quality combustion process, constructed after January 1, 1999, can be registered and traded on the CCX up to the sales limits set for years 2003-2006 (Phase I reporting).
* CMM from any well drilled at any time, collected after January 1, 2007 (Phase II reporting), which is processed/refined through a low quality gas facility, constructed after January 1, 1999, or utilized in a low quality combustion process, constructed after January 1, 1999, can be registered and traded on the CCX.