As a MAP summer Fellow in NRDC's San Francisco office, Ben helped the Energy Group in its California Climate Change and Energy Efficiency advocacy efforts. His Fellowship coincided with the release of California Air Resources Board's (CARB) Draft Scoping Plan, which outlines the main policies and measures the agency intends to employ in implementing AB 32, California's landmark Global Warming Solutions Act. He participated in several CARB workshops to gather public comments on the content of the scoping plan, and he presented on behalf of NRDC at the first workshop following the draft scoping plan's release. He also authored a fact sheet describing how the policies described in the draft scoping plan would affect the average Californian. Ben submitted comments to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and California Energy Commission (CEC) arguing flexible compliance mechanisms, including offsets, should be limited under any cap and trade system in California. In meetings with several CEC commissioners, Ben argued CDM offsets in particular should not b7e included in California's program.

"NRDC was well-organized and the quality of work is top-notch."

"MAP Fellows are the best and the brightest (Ben was certainly no exception) and allow us to greatly expand our work, in scope, depth, and perspective. Their unbridled enthusiasm is inspirational and refreshing, and we have found we have as much to learn from the Fellows as they can learn from us."

Publications to which Ben contributed:

• "AB 32 and You" fact sheet
• June 2, 2008 comments submitted to the CPUC/CEC on global warming policies for the electricity and natural gas sectors (Ben was the lead author for the section on pages 21-29)
• June 16, 2008 reply comments submitted to the CPUC/CEC on global warming policies for the electricity and natural gas sectors (Ben was the lead author for the section on pages 15-24)
• July 21, 2008 comments submitted to the CPUC on a proposed decision for new long-term energy efficiency goals for California's investor-owned utilities. Ben was responsible for compiling data and developing all the tables and figures in these comments.