Final Rule: EPA Expands Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program

US EPA issued a Final Rule to strengthen, expand, and update methane emissions reporting requirements for petroleum and natural gas systems under EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (GHGRP) on May 6, 2024.

See EPA's full press release.

The Agency says that oil and natural gas facilities are the nation’s largest industrial source of methane, a climate “super pollutant” that is many times more potent than carbon dioxide and is responsible for approximately one-third of the warming from greenhouse gases (GHGs) occurring today.

The GHGRP requires reporting of greenhouse gas data and other relevant information from large GHG emission sources, fuel and industrial gas suppliers, and CO2 injection sites in the United States. Approximately 8,000 facilities are required to report their emissions annually, and the reported data are made available to the public in October of each year.

Under the GHGRP, owners or operators of facilities that contain petroleum and natural gas systems and emit 25,000 metric tons or more of GHGs per year (expressed as carbon dioxide equivalents or CO2e) report GHG data to EPA.

Background on the Rule

Recent studies reveal that actual emissions from petroleum and natural gas systems are much greater than what has historically been reported to the GHGRP. This rule addresses that gap, including by facilitating the use of satellite data to identify super-emitters and quantify large emission events, requiring direct monitoring of key emission sources, and updating the methods for calculation.

EPA also issued a final rule in December 2023 to reduce methane emissions and other harmful air pollution from new and existing oil and gas operations. In addition, EPA is working to implement the three-part framework of the Inflation Reduction Act’s Methane Emissions Reduction Program.

Complete Environmental Regulations Training

Want a clearer idea of how major EPA air, water, and chemical programs all fit together to affect your site's activities? Join in on the next Complete Environmental Regulations Webinar on May 16–17 at Lion.com.

EH&S professionals who attend can identify the regulations that apply to their facility and locate key requirements to achieve compliance with the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts, EPCRA, TSCA, Superfund, and more. Prefer to train at your own pace? Try the interactive online course.