West Virginia Establishes Greenhouse Gas Inventory
On April 4, 2007, Governor Joe Manchin III of West Virginia signed legislation establishing a new net greenhouse gas inventory for the state that covers emissions, reductions, and sequestration of six greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydroflurocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulfur hexafluoride. The inventory covers all major stationary, area and mobile sources, such as power plants, waste combustors, natural gas/oil systems, landfills, and waste water treatment facilities, highway and non-road sources, and agricultural sources and shall account for geologic and terrestrial carbon sequestration. The legislation also creates a registry for the reporting of voluntary reductions of greenhouse gas emissions if the reductions are made before they are required by law, and will include the development of criteria for establishing baseline emissions, quantifying emission reductions and providing public recognition of reductions.