EPA Mandatory Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule

Starting January 1, 2010, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will, for the first time, require large emitters of heat-trapping emissions to begin collecting greenhouse gas (GHG) data under a national reporting system. The reporting will cover approximately 85 percent of the nation’s GHG emissions and apply to approximately 10,000 facilities.

EPA’s 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. This comprehensive, nationwide emissions data will help in the fight against climate change.

The rule was published in the Federal Register on October 30, 2009 and is effective December 29, 2009. In general, the rule requires suppliers of fossil fuels and industrial GHGs, manufacturers of vehicles and engines (outside of the light duty sector), and large industrial sources that emit 25,000 metric tons or more of GHG emissions per year to submit annual reports to EPA. The gases covered by the rule are carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFC), perfluorocarbons (PFC), sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), and other fluorinated gases including nitrogen trifluoride (NF3) and hydrofluorinated ethers (HFE). Reporting will typically be conducted at the facility level, except for select industries that will report at the corporate level. The first emissions reports are due on March 31, 2011 for emissions during 2010.

EPA is offering free training webinars on the rule. The schedule is posted under training opportunities on the website listed below.

For more information on the rule and to access tools such as an applicability tool, resources such as information sheets and checklist for each subpart, frequently asked questions and other useful materials, please visit. http://epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/ghgrulemaking.html Updates on the rule are available by subscribing to the RSS feed on the website.

EPA is proposing to tailor the major source applicability thresholds for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions under the Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) and Title V Programs of the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act) and to set a PSD significance level for GHG emissions.

This proposal is necessary because EPA expects soon to promulgate regulations under the CAA to control GHG emissions and, as a result, trigger PSD and Title V applicability requirements for GHG emissions. If PSD and Title V requirements apply at the applicability levels provided under the CAA, state permitting authorities would be paralyzed by permit applications in numbers that are orders of magnitude greater than their current administrative resources could accommodate.

To date this rule has not been finalized by the EPA. Please continue to monitor this website for updates on the status of this rule.

For additional information on how this may affect your business, please refer to the following links:

• Proposed Tailoring Rule FAQs
  http://www.epa.gov/nsr/fs20090930action.html
• Proposed Tailoring Rule
  http://www.epa.gov/nsr/documents/GHGTailoringProposal.pdf

Colorado Greenhouse Gas Reports

2007 Report:

• Colorado Greenhouse Gas Inventory and Reference Case Projections, 1990-2020

2002 Report:

• Colorado Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory & Forecast: 1990-2015
  ( 2002 Revised Version )

2000 Report:

• The 2000 Colorado Gas Emissions update ,
  an addendum to the 1998 report.

1998 Report:

• Climate Change & Colorado -- A Technical Assessment , 1998

Links

For more information contact:

Zac Graves
zgraves@cdphe.state.co.us
(303) 692-2277

-or-

Lisa Clarke
Lmclarke@cdphe.state.co.us
(303) 692-3117