Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program

Washington State Department of Ecology

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Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program

Beginning in 2013, certain large facilities and transportation fuel suppliers must report their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to the Department of Ecology. Owners or operators of the following are required to report:

Facilities that emit at least 10,000 metric tons of greenhouse gases per year in Washington; or
Suppliers of liquid motor vehicle fuel, special fuel, or aircraft fuel that supply products equivalent to at least 10,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year in Washington.

Mobile source fleets are not required to report their GHG emissions.

Update on registration and reporting deadlines

New reporting deadline established

The 2012 emissions year registration and reporting deadlines for facilities that report to Ecology and EPA have been extended to match the deadlines for other facilities and transportation fuel suppliers. ALL facilities and transportation fuel suppliers will register by September 1, 2013 and report by October 31, 2013. The registration and reporting deadlines for the 2013 emissions year and subsequent reports have not been changed.

February and March 2013 training sessions - Canceled

The February and March 2013 training sessions for facilities that report to both Ecology and EPA are canceled. New training sessions will be scheduled closer to the registration and reporting deadline..

Why is Ecology extending the deadline?

The extension will allow Ecology to develop a higher quality online reporting tool and give reporters more time to learn how to use the tool. The extra time will allow us to incorporate recent changes to EPA's reporting system and make Washington's system more automated, requiring less work for reporters. It will also allow for improved data analysis and publication. The extension enables reporters to have more time to register and report after receiving training on how to use the system.

Will my facility be penalized for not reporting In April?

No. Ecology will use our enforcement discretion and not penalize anyone for not reporting in April.

Contents

Facilities
Transportation fuel suppliers
When to report
Electronic reporting
Reporting fee
Background
More information

Facilities

Facilities report GHG emissions based on EPA's GHG reporting program. Washington's Applicable emissions and calculation methodologies are identical to the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) with a few exceptions. The main difference is that Washington has a lower reporting threshold of 10,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e) per calendar year. Washington's threshold also includes carbon dioxide emissions from biogenic sources, while EPA's does not.

Click here to go to Ecology's "Greenhouse Gas Reporting: Facilities" page

Transportation fuel suppliers

Transportation fuel suppliers report GHG emissions based on the information they already submit to the Washington Department of Licensing (DOL). The only organizations that must report are those with active fuel tax licenses that supply enough applicable fuels to meet or exceed 10,000 metric tons of CO₂ per year.

Click here to go to Ecology's "Greenhouse Gas Reporting: Transportation Fuel Suppliers" page

When to report

Reporting begins in 2013. The 2013 report will contain information on emissions that occur in 2012. Report every calendar year, using the deadlines in the table below:

For all facilities and transportation fuel suppliers:
What to do	Deadline
Collect data	January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012
Register with Ecology	September 1, 2013
Report to Ecology	October 31, 2013

Electronic reporting

Ecology is developing a web-based reporting tool. Users will be able to electronically input and submit their data. Ecology's tool will be compatible with both EPA's Electronic Greenhouse Gas Reporting Tool (e-GGRT) and DOL's fuel tax database. More information and training materials will be posted once the tool is complete.

Reporting fee

There will be an annual reporting fee. The fee is based on Ecology's costs to administer the program and the number of facilities and suppliers reporting that year. The fee for the 2012 emissions year is $1,175 per facility and $1,478 per supplier. More detail is available in the 2012 fee schedule.

Background

In 2008, the Washington Legislature directed Ecology to develop rules requiring the state's largest sources of greenhouse gases to report their emissions.

EPA adopted a GHG reporting program in 2009 that was significantly different from Washington's law. Washington's law was changed in 2010 to make facility reporting more consistent with EPA's program and to transfer responsibility for transportation reporting from individual fleet operators to transportation fuel suppliers.

The changes eased reporting burdens and made the process less complicated, which made it easier to get accurate, consistent data. The changes also made it easier and less costly for emitters to comply with reporting requirements in Washington and in other jurisdictions in which they operate.

Ecology worked with a stakeholder committee to implement Washington's GHG reporting law, and adopted Chapter 173-441 WAC - Reporting of Emissions of Greenhouse Gases in December, 2010. 2010 data from facilities that reported to EPA can be found on EPA's website.