AGC Advises EPA to Exempt Small Emitters, Delay Requirements in Proposed Rule for Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases

AGC submitted comments in June to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on a proposed rule that would require thousands of facilities to monitor their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions starting in January 2010 and report those emissions to EPA in 2011.  All facilities that produce Portland cement or manufacture lime would be required to report.  Additionally, thousands of small emitters would be scrambling to determine whether their emissions fall within the threshold for reporting or face the risk of high penalties for noncompliance.  If finalized, EPA's proposal would require reporting of GHG emissions from all sectors of the economy in very short order.  EPA has identified "source categories" wherein all of the facilities with that source of emissions within their boundaries would be subject to the rule.  These source categories include large operations such as petroleum refineries, power plants, Portland cement plants, landfills, etc.  In addition to these sources, EPA has suggested a threshold of 25,000 metric tons per year of carbon dioxide equivalent (metric tpy CO2e) above which other facilities would be required to report annual GHG emissions from stationary fuel combustion sources (boilers, process heaters, etc.). For more information, click here, or contact Melinda Tomaino at (703) 837-5415 or tomainom@agc.org.