11Determining the emissions intensity reference period

11 Determining the emissions intensity reference period

(1) A project area in an irrigated cotton project must have an emissions intensity reference period consistent with the requirements in this Part. (2) The emissions intensity reference period is the 6 year period starting from the day 6 years before the first day of the crediting period. (3) The emissions intensity reference period must include a minimum of 3 years in which the project area included a cotton area. (4) In order for a year to count for the purposes of subsection (3), the information required under Divisions 3 and 4 of Part 5 must be available for that year, and the lint yield for that year must not be zero. (5) If information required under Divisions 3 and 4 of Part 5 is available for a year during the emissions intensity reference period in which the project area included a cotton area, and the lint yield for that year is not zero, that year must be included in the calculation of baseline emissions intensity in accordance with subsection 17(2). (6) If the requirements in subsection (3) and subsection (4) are not met in the period mentioned in subsection (2), the emissions intensity reference period may be extended up to a maximum of 3 times, by moving the start date to a year earlier until the requirements are satisfied.

Note: Under this subsection, the emissions intensity reference period may need to be extended to 7, 8 or 9 years for the project to have 3 years of relevant cotton data and thus be an eligible offsets project.