U.S. EPA's Final Rule on Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases

On October 30th, U.S. EPA published a final rule requiring that certain facilities report their greenhouse gas emissions. 

Under the rule, suppliers of fossil fuels or industrial greenhouse gases, manufacturers of vehicles and engines, and facilities that emit 25,000 metric tons or more per year of greenhouse emissions are required to submit annual reports to U.S. EPA.  It is estimated that about 10,000 facilities are covered by the rule.  The gases covered by the rule are carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and other fluorinated gases including nitrogen trifluoride and hydrofluorinated ethers.  Facilities subject to this rule must begin collecting data on January 1, 2010.  The first annual report is due on March 31, 2011, for greenhouse gases emitted or products supplied during 2010.

U.S. EPA has placed additional information and training materials concerning this rule on its website (click here).

Although this rule does not, by itself, control or regulate greenhouse gases, it is clear that U.S. EPA will use this information to further regulate greenhouse gases in the future.

Stay tuned to the Illinois Environmental Law Blog for more news and developments.