Feb 5: U.S. EPA posted the second year of greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions data on its website, which provides public access to emissions data by sector, by greenhouse gas, and by geographic region such as county or state. EPA indicates that greenhouse gases are the primary driver of climate change, which can lead to hotter, longer heat waves that threaten the health of the sick, poor or elderly; increases in ground-level ozone pollution linked to asthma and other respiratory illnesses; as well as other threats to the health and welfare of Americans.
Gina McCarthy, assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Air and Radiation [who some are saying may be the next EPA Administrator] said, "Transparency ensures a better informed public, which leads to a better protected environment. With this second data release, communities, businesses and others can track and compare facilities' greenhouse gas emissions and identify opportunities to cut pollution, minimize wasted energy, and save money." Petroleum and natural gas systems were the second largest sector, with emissions of 225 mmtCO2e in 2011, the first year of reporting for this group. Refineries were the third-largest emitting source, with 182 mmtCO2e, a half of a percent increase over 2010.
Gina McCarthy, assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Air and Radiation [who some are saying may be the next EPA Administrator] said, "Transparency ensures a better informed public, which leads to a better protected environment. With this second data release, communities, businesses and others can track and compare facilities' greenhouse gas emissions and identify opportunities to cut pollution, minimize wasted energy, and save money."
The 2011 data, collected through the congressionally mandated Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Reporting Program, includes information from facilities in 41 source categories that emit large quantities of greenhouse gasses. The 2011 data also contains new data collected from 12 additional source categories, including petroleum and natural gas systems and coal mines. The facilities reported direct emissions of carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and fluorinated gases -- for a total of 3.3 billion tons.
For facilities that are direct emitters of GHGs the data show that in 2011:
EPA now has two years of greenhouse gas data for 29 source categories. Some industrial sectors, such as metals production and chemicals production, reported overall increases in emissions, while others, such as power plants, reported decreases. Overall emissions reported from these 29 sources were 3 percent lower in 2011 than in 2010. In the future the data collected through the program will provide the public with the opportunity to compare emissions and developing trends for all 41 industry types -- by facility and sector.
The data is accessible through the Facility Level Information on Green House gases Tool (FLIGHT) -- a web-based data publication tool. EPA has also expanded accessibility of this data through EPA's online database EnviroFacts that allows a user to search for information by zip code.
The data collection program is required by Congress in the FY2008 Consolidated Appropriations Act, which requires facilities to report data from large emission sources across a range of industry sectors, as well as suppliers of certain greenhouse gases, and products that would emit GHGs if released or combusted. EPA's GHG Reporting Program includes information from more than 8,000 sources and represents 85-90 percent of total U.S. GHG emissions. The data only includes large facilities and does not include small sources, agriculture, or land use, which can also be significant sources of greenhouse gas emissions.
The data is accessible through the Facility Level Information on Green House gases Tool (FLIGHT) -- a web-based data publication tool. EPA has also expanded accessibility of this data through EPA's online database EnviroFacts that allows a user to search for information by zip code.
The data collection program is required by Congress in the FY2008 Consolidated Appropriations Act, which requires facilities to report data from large emission sources across a range of industry sectors, as well as suppliers of certain greenhouse gases, and products that would emit GHGs if released or combusted. EPA's GHG Reporting Program includes information from more than 8,000 sources and represents 85-90 percent of total U.S. GHG emissions. The data only includes large facilities and does not include small sources, agriculture, or land use, which can also be significant sources of greenhouse gas emissions.
Access a release from EPA (click here). Access the GHG Reporting Program Data and Data Publication Tool (click here). Access the EnviroFacts website (click here). [#Climate, #MIClimate]
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