The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Tuesday finalized new requirements for the nation’s biggest sources of greenhouse gases to publicly disclose their annual emissions, providing the necessary foundation for federal policy to reduce global warming pollution.
Reporting requirements will apply to about 10,000 large emitters that account for the vast majority–about 80% to 85%–of the nation’s overall inventory of heat-trapping gases. Data collection will begin January 1, 2010, with disclosure required in the first quarter of 2011.
The rules establish the first comprehensive national greenhouse gas emissions collection and reporting program.
“This is a major step forward in our effort to address the greenhouse gases polluting our skies,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “For the first time, we begin collecting data from the largest facilities in this country, ones that account for approximately 85% of the total U.S. emissions. The American public, and industry itself, will finally gain critically important knowledge and with this information we can determine how best to reduce those emissions.”
EPA said the new reporting system will provide a better understanding of where GHGs are coming from and will guide development of the best possible policies and programs to reduce emissions. The data will also allow businesses to track their own emissions, compare them to similar facilities, and provide assistance in identifying cost effective ways to reduce emissions in the future.
EPA’s rules establish a reporting threshold of 25,000 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per year. A 25,000 ton annual carbon dioxide threshold is comparable to the emissions from 131 rail cars of coal consumed, 58,000 barrels of oil consumed, or the emissions from the annual energy use of about 2,200 homes, according to the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), which praised the EPA action.
"The public has both a need and a right to know about the country’s biggest emitters," said Mark MacLeod, director of special projects at EDF. "The transparency provided today will inform smart policy that targets the biggest sources of heat-trapping emissions."
This rule would not apply to churches and schools, and would not establish a "cow tax" against farmers, as some critics have suggested.
The heat-trapping gases included in the reporting requirements are carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, sulfur hexafluoride, and other fluorinated gases.
In Related News…
Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski reportedly is crafting legislation that–if passed–would restrict the EPA from issuing greenhouse gas regulations for one year.
Read Reuters coverage at the link below.
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