DEQ Notifies Companies of Pending Carbon Emission Regulations

The potential regulation of GHG may be generating concern within your organization and could have real implications for your business. Maul Foster & Alongi, Inc. can help you develop a strategic approach to managing GHG regulations.

As you may be aware, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and the federal government are in the process of developing regulations for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reporting and emissions trading. On Monday, September 8, 2008 DEQ notified 33 companies that they could be subject to statewide carbon emission regulations.

Below you will find a list of actions you may consider in preparing for impending regulations and emissions trading programs if you are not already doing so. In addition, you will find information related to GHG emissions, including the proposed reporting rules in Oregon, the current status of the Western Climate Initiative, and the development of The Climate Registry.

Action Items

Understand your risks and liabilities

Do you fall under the proposed regulations?
What are your emissions sources?
Are your concerns and interests being considered in regulation and/or program development?

Understand your opportunities

Have you implemented emission-reduction actions that you want to document?
Are you potentially eligible as an offset provider?
Are there incentives available to you to reduce your emissions?

Take action

Begin developing a GHG emissions baseline.
Talk with your industry association about voicing your interests to regulators.
Evaluate opportunities, such as tax incentives for efficiency improvements, to reduce your overall emissions.

Need Help Call:

Amy Dvorak (503) 341-8112 or
Steve Taylor (503) 680-5315

The Proposed Rule-making Package

The proposed rule-making package, scheduled to be adopted by the Oregon Environmental Quality Commission in October 2008, requires that the following entities annually register and report greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions beginning in 2010:

Title V Operating Permit Program and certain sources that are required to obtain permits under the Air Contaminant Discharge Permit Program (see Table 1, OAR 340-215-0010)

The draft rules propose that the following sources that emit 2500 metric tons of GHGs per year (and do not have an air permit) report their GHGs annually to DEQ, beginning in 2011.