Proposed Bills on: GHG Emission Reporting

S. 1411:   Federal Government Greenhouse Gas Registry Act of 2007. This bill would amend the Clean Air Act to establish a Federal Emissions Inventory Office within the EPA. The bill directs this office to measure and verify greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from: sources owned or controlled by the federal government (such as a motor vehicle fleet); production of electricity purchased and used by the federal government; or the conduct of a project or activity (including outsourced projects or activities) by the federal government, such as employee travel or the use of an energy-intensive material, such as paper. Sponsor: Sen. Frank Lautenberg (2 Cosponsors)

 

S. 1696:   Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2008. Among other provisions, this bill appropriates $10 million to the EPA for the purpose of providing competitive grants for research into, among other purposes, developing strategies to mitigate climate change. In addition, the bill states the sense of the Senate Appropriations Committee that “a robust climate change management research program will be essential for the Forest Service to sustain forest health and biodiversity and protect a wide range of natural resources,” and appropriates $2.5 million to expand the Forest Service’s climate science research program; the Committee directs the agency to use these funds to develop forest management techniques that adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change. The bill also appropriates $2.275 to the EPA to fund research activities in support of future rulemaking activities on greenhouse gas (GHG) regulation. It also appropriates $2 million to the EPA to use its existing authority under the Clean Air Act to develop and publish a rule requiring mandatory reporting of GHG emissions above appropriate thresholds in all sectors of the economy; the bill further directs the EPA to publish a final rule no later than December 31, 2008, and to include in its rule reporting of emissions resulting from upstream production and downstream sources. Sponsor: Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) ( Cosponsors)

 

S. 183:   Improved Passenger Automobile Fuel Economy Act. Among other provisions, the Act directs the Secretary of Commerce to establish a national registry system for greenhouse gas emissions reduction credits, and includes regulatory language for trading of said credits. Sponsor: Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) (1 Cosponsors)

 

S. 2191:  

The Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act (L-W CSA). This bill would establish a cap-and-trade program within the United States requiring a 70% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from covered sources, which represent over 80% of total U.S. emissions. The bill as amended also includes complementary policies, such as a low carbon fuel standard and provisions aimed at enhancing energy efficiency. Taken together, the bill’s sponsors believe these provisions will reduce overall U.S. GHG emissions roughly 63% by 2050.

The L-W CSA divides the six GHGs into two categories: Group I (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, sulfur hexafluoride, and perfluorocarbons) and Group II (hydrofluorcarbons). For all GHGs, the bill uses the common unit of measurement CO₂ equivalent (CO₂e)—the quantity of GHGs that the U.S. EPA has determined makes the same contribution to global warming as one metric ton of CO₂. The L-W CSA would create two separate caps, one covering facilities that produce HFCs and the other covering facilities that:

·  Use more that 5,000 tons of coal annually;

·  Process, produce, or import natural gas;

·  Produce or import petroleum or coal-based fuel that when combusted will emit a Group I GHG;

· Produce for sale or distribution or import more than 10,000 CO₂e of chemicals that are group I GHGs, assuming no capture or permanent sequestration

· Emit as a by-product of HCFC production more than 10,000 CO₂e of HFCs

Overall, the two caps combined are expected to cover over 80% of total U.S. GHG emissions, although some process related emissions are not covered.

The cap on facilities producing HFCs would start in 2010 at 300 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MMTCO₂e) and decline to 90 MMTCO₂e by 2037, remaining at that level through 2050. Emissions from all other covered facilities would be capped at 5775 MMTCO₂e in 2012, with this cap decreasing annually to 1732 MMTCO₂e in 2050. The two caps combined would result in roughly a 19% reduction from 2005 levels in 2020 and a 70% reduction from 2005 levels by 2050.

Beginning in 2012 and continuing through 2030, the L-W CSA would provide transition assistance in the form of free allowances to electric power generators (19%), manufacturers (10%), fuel producers or importers (2%), HFC producers and importers (2%), and rural electric cooperatives (1%). In addition, 5% of the total emission allowance account will be allocated to early actors from 2012-2017 and 4% for carbon, capture and sequestration activities from 2012-2030. Approximately 30.5% of the total allowance account will be set aside from 2012-2050 for other entities, including states, load-serving entities, farms and forests, coal mines, and others. Starting in 2012, 26.5% of allowances would be auctioned (including 5% for an early auction to be held shortly after enactment), with the proceeds going to energy technology deployment, low-and middle-income energy consumers, adaptation efforts in the U.S., and programs to support energy independence and national security. Over time, the auction will grow so that by 2031, 69.5% of the allowances would be auctioned and the revenue used for these purposes.

The L-W CSA allows covered facilities to satisfy up to 15% of their compliance obligation with specific domestic offsets. An additional 15% can be covered using international emission allowances. Unlimited banking is allowed and owners and operators of covered facilities can borrow up to 15% of their annual compliance obligation from future years. The L-W CSA also creates a Carbon Market Efficiency Board to monitor the carbon trading market and implement specific cost relief measures, including increased borrowing and use of offsets.

The L-W CSA includes a review of the commitments of other major-emitting nations to reduce their GHG emissions. Eight years after enactment the President is authorized to require importers of GHG emission-intensive products from countries that have not taken action comparable to the U.S. to submit credits equal to those required of domestic manufactures.

Sponsor: Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (I-CT) (9 Cosponsors)

 

S. 280:   Climate Stewardship and Innovation Act of 2007. The Act establishes a market-driven system of tradable greenhouse gas (GHG) allowances, administered by the Environmental Protection Agency, to begin in 2012. The Act would divide the economy into sectors—electricity, transportation, industry, and commercial—each subject to separate, sector-wide emissions cap, while allowing inter-sector trading. Allowances would be equal to a maximum of 6.13 million metric tons of CO2e after 2011, reducing to 5.239 million metric tons after 2019, 4.1 million after 2029, and 2.096 after 2049; the quantities of these allowances could be reduced, depending on the GHG emissions of the rest of the economy and emitters not subject to the cap. The bill would also establish a national GHG database and registry, as well as a Climate Change Credit Corporation, a non-profit corporation with a board appointed by the President of the United States. This corporation would be allocated a portion of tradable allowances, and be able to buy and sell other allowances, and is directed to use the proceeds from its trading activities to reduce costs borne by consumers as a result of the GHG reduction requirements of the Act. The Act also contains provisions to encourage the innovation and deployment of advanced, climate-friendly technologies; it also directs the Secretary of Commerce to conduct research on the impact of climate change on low-income populations around the world, and the costs of mitigating those impacts. Sponsor: Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (I-CT) (9 Cosponsors)

 

H.R. 2635:   Carbon-Neutral Government Act of 2007. This title, among other provisions, directs each federal agency to annually inventory and report its GHG emissions. Not later than 18 months after enactment, the EPA must promulgate annual GHG reduction targets for the total emissions of all agencies taken as a whole, for each fiscal year from 2010 through 2050. The title also sets GHG emissions standards for federal vehicle fleets, based on the California Code of Regulations. In addition, the bill requires the Secretary of Energy to establish new efficiency standards for federal buildings, so that by 2030 they have achieved a 100% reduction in fossil-fuel generated energy consumption compared to consumption in 2003. Sponsor: Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) (14 Cosponsors)

 

H.R. 2651:   Greenhouse Gas Accountability Act of 2007. This bill directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to establish a greenhouse gas (GHG) reporting program. The act would require annual reports of emissions from firms that directly or indirectly emit over 10,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (mt/CO₂e) at any one facility; firms whose total direct or indirect emissions exceed 100,000 mt/CO₂e; firms which produce or import fuels, chemicals, and other GHGs that when used or combusted will emit over 100,000 mt/CO₂e. In addition, the bill would require annual GHG emission reports from any public company with annual revenues exceeding $10 million; as well as any firm with annual revenues exceeding $10 million in the following industries: automobile and auto parts; aerospace and defense; chemicals; construction materials; electric utilities; energy equipment and services; oil, gas, and consumable fuels; metals and mining; paper and forest products; and transportation. Sponsor: Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY) ( Cosponsors)

 

H.R. 3236:   Energy Efficiency Improvement Act of 2007. This bill intends to encourage greater energy efficiency throughout the U.S. economy. Among other provisions, the bill requires the Administrator of the EPA to establish a Recoverable Waste-Energy Inventory Program, including a Registry of Waste-energy Sources, and to include in the Registry the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions savings that might be achieved with recovery of the waste energy from all sources and sites listed therein. The bill also, in renaming the Department of Energy’s Regional Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Application Centers, as Clean Energy Centers, finds that the CHP centers have produced significant climate change benefits and will continue to do so. Sponsor: Rep. Rick Boucher (D-VA) (1 Cosponsors)

 

H.R. 3240:   To enhance availability of critical energy information. This bill directs the Administrator of the Energy Information Administration to establish a 5-year plan to enhance the quality and scope of the data it collects. In its findings section, the bill cites the importance of State energy information to policymakers as the consider and implement policies to cut greenhouse gases. Sponsor: Rep. Rick Boucher (D-VA) (1 Cosponsors)