Finalized EPA greenhouse gas reporting rule update

EPA's draft proposal (pdf) released in March would cover about 13,000 facilities from all sectors of the economy that account for 85 to 90 percent of U.S. emissions.

The proposal would require reporting from facilities with direct emissions equivalent to 25,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions per year or more -- a level EPA said would spare the "vast majority" of small businesses.

Industry data collection under the draft rule would begin in January 2010, with the first reports due to EPA in March 2011.

During EPA's public comment period on the proposal, a wide range of environmental and industry groups weighed in on the draft rule. Many environmental groups welcomed the proposal, saying it would establish a critical foundation for national policies to curb climate change (E&ENews PM, April 6).

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has pressed EPA to revise the proposal to allow companies to challenge the reliability of emissions data that would be made public under the rule (E&ENews PM, June 8).

Click here (pdf) to read the draft rule released in March. Read full from NewYorkTimes