Feedback from U.S. industry is starting to come in on the EPA’s proposed greenhouse gas registry. At a public hearing this week, utility groups supported most of the proposal for required greenhouse gas emissions reporting. Other industries weren’t as excited.
"It serves as the identification of the industry subgroups that have the greatest amount of risk in the cap-and-trade program," explained environmental attorney David Weinberg, who represents companies in industries such as steel, batteries and electronics.
Whats coming? Cap-and-trade legislation from Congress or action from the agency itself.
The first nationwide mandatory emissions registry, proposed by EPA last month, will build the infrastructure and supply the data necessary to support climate regulation.
How it rolls out will depend on who reports and how those emissions are measured. The detailed draft rule, which must be finalized by June, a deadline set by Congress, covers more than 13,000 facilities, from petroleum refiners and power plants to large industrial and auto manufacturers.
At this point, power plants account for the carbon dioxide leaving their smokestacks under the Clean Air Act. Eric Holdsworth, climate director for the Edison Electric Institute, a coalition of investor-owned utilities, said that utilities are pleased that the rule is largely compatible with existing thresholds and methods for reporting. Brian Jones, representing the Clean Energy Group, another coalition of utilities, agreed.
Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Laurie Burt, along with representatives of other existing reporting programs, called on EPA to rethink how it will verify emissions numbers. Massachusetts, like some other states and voluntary programs, requires that independent auditors do this work.
"Consistent and accurate reporting of emissions nationwide is absolutely a critical foundation for a successful climate program," she said.
After weighing the costs and benefits of such a system against other options, EPA's proposal instead relies on companies to self-certify their numbers, with the agency's staff assuming responsibility for checking them.
Our CEO, Larry Goldenhersh even weighed in …“Overall, the very act of making emissions data publicly available could dramatically change the way business is done. Just like every other cost, they have to be better at managing that cost than their competitors, or they will lose.”
Nicely said Larry! We’ll see how things shake out over the next few months, it will definitely be an interesting story to follow with big ramifications for businesses everywhere. | 
