Date: March 8, 2011
Source: News Room
The EPA is extending the deadline for major emitters of greenhouse gases to report them. The agency said it was moving the deadline, which was originally March 31, so that it would have more time to test its online data collection system. The move comes following intense lobbying from industry that has complained that the deadline was much too soon and House Republicans who view the agency's regulation of them as overreaching their authority. The Obama administration is moving forward with limits on carbon dioxide and other greenhouse-gas emissions from power plants, manufacturers and other sources despite intense opposition from Republicans and industry groups. House Republicans are seeking a bill that would explicitly bar the agency from using the Clean Air Act to regulate greenhouse gases. Last week the EPA released a study that argues the economic benefits of other Clean Air Act regulations.
PRESS RELEASE
EPA Announces Next Steps for Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reporting Program
Release date: 03/01/2011
Contact Information: Cathy Milbourn (News Media Only) Milbourn.cathy@epa.gov 202-564-7849 202-564-4355
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is announcing that its Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Reporting Program has recently completed extensive work to develop GHG data reporting requirements for a wide range of different industries in response to Congressional mandates. This program will provide Congress, stakeholder groups and the public with information about these emissions while helping businesses identify cost effective ways to reduce emissions in the future.
To ensure that the requirements are practical and understandable to the thousands of companies already registered to report under the program, the agency is in the process of finalizing a user friendly online electronic reporting platform.
Following conversations with industry and others, and in the interest of providing high quality data to the public this year, EPA is extending this year's reporting deadline – originally March 31 – and plans to have the final uploading tool available this summer, with the data scheduled to be published later this year. This extension will allow EPA to further test the system that facilities will use to submit data and give industry the opportunity to test the tool, provide feedback, and have sufficient time to become familiar with the tool prior to reporting. The agency will provide more detail on these intended changes in the coming weeks and will ensure that this reporting extension is in effect before the original reporting deadline of March 31, 2011.
In addition to the nine rulemakings necessary to comply with congressional direction for the program, over the past two years EPA has established a public help center that operates through our website and efficient mechanisms for stakeholders to get answers from EPA experts to detailed technical questions. EPA has also conducted training sessions with each affected sector and held hundreds of meetings with stakeholders across the country.
EPA's greenhouse gas reporting program, launched in October 2009, requires the reporting of GHG emissions data from large emission sources and fuel suppliers across a range of industry sectors. This program will provide data that will help industries find ways to be more efficient and save money.
More information on these actions: www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/extension.html.
More information on the GHG Reporting Program: www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/ghgrulemaking.html.
Sign up to receive our free Weekly News Bulletin