EPA Publishes Proposed Rule for Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases by Major Sources

On April 10, 2009, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published in the Federal Register a proposed rule that would require reporting of annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from a wide range of sources, including all facilities that produce cement and manufacture lime. The agency is seeking public comment on the proposed threshold for reporting and whether to include monitoring and reporting requirements for in-use fleets, as well as other provisions in the proposed rule. Comments are due June 9, 2009. In general, the proposed rule would require certain facilities to monitor and report their GHG emissions directly to EPA on an annual basis. When the rule is finalized, facilities will need to determine whether 1) their activities alone trigger the reporting requirements, or 2) their emissions levels meet the threshold for reporting. EPA has identified approximately twenty categories of industrial activities that are large sources of emissions. Facilities that perform those activities must report emissions. For example, ALL facilities that engage in the production or manufacturing of cement, lime, iron, or steel would need to monitor and report their emissions. The proposed rule would not require control of GHG emissions, but will likely complement a future federal program to reduce emissions by providing baseline information and a structure to track emissions and progress. For more information, click here.