DOE issues new rules for US greenhouse gas emissions registry

Washington (Platts)--17Apr2006

After a four-year inter-agency effort, the Energy Department on Monday
issued new rules for a voluntary greenhouse gas emissions registry with the
hope that more "entities" will report emissions-reduction projects and that
those ultimately could count toward a future US carbon cap.

President Bush in 2002 ordered DOE to revise the Voluntary Reporting of
Greenhouse Gases Program to make its registry more accurate and verifiable.

DOE made few changes to interim rules published in March 2005. As
expected, it decided only to accept reports on emissions reductions that
occurred after 2002.

It also declined to award "transferable credits" for registered emissions
reductions, something Bush himself supported in 2002. DOE concluded it did not
have the authority to issue credits, but said in 2004 registered emissions
reductions would likely be "acknowledged and respected with respect to any
future climate policy."

The final rules make it more difficult -- and some in industry say
burdensome -- for large emitters to officially "register" emissions reductions
with the government. After June 1, when the rules become effective, companies
must report on an "entity-wide" basis to register emissions reductions.

Traditionally, most companies have filed reports on individual projects,
while others have been reporting emissions data from just one corporate unit.
DOE said both approaches made the program unwieldy.

The department offers "simplified" procedures for small emitters who want
to register emissions as well as others who just want to report emissions.
They will also accept filings on emissions reductions from outside the US.

The final rules are meant to increase the accuracy of reports -- to
ensure there is no double-counting of emissions data -- and to make the
registry more reliable and verifiable. Under the current registry, entities
self-certify the accuracy of their reports. The new guidelines require
recordkeeping, but not "independent verification" of emissions accounting.

DOE said the program, established under the 1992 Energy Policy Act, would
create a "public record" of emissions-reduction projects and support President
Bush's goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions intensity 18% by 2012.

Since its establishment in 1995, 417 entities have reported their
greenhouse gas emissions to the program. DOE expects those participating in
the Environmental Protection Agency's Climate Leaders program and Bush's
Climate Vision intensity-reduction effort will file data to the department's
registry.

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