U.S. Chamber Critical of EPA's Proposed Mandatory Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule

Calls on Agency to Consider Data Quality Act

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Chamber of Commerce filed comments today with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) expressing concern over the agency's failure to consider the Data Quality Act in its proposed mandatory greenhouse gas (GHG) reporting rule. The Act is an instrument that allows the public the opportunity to challenge government data they believe is inaccurate or of questionable quality or reliability.

"Environmentalists use emissions data to criticize those who they judge do not meet the environmental pressure groups' self-established standards of performance," said William Kovacs, Chamber vice president for Environment, Technology and Regulatory Affairs. "No one should be subjected to such treatment on the basis of poor quality, unreliable data."

The EPA is proposing a regulation to require mandatory reporting of greenhouse gas emissions from all sectors of the economy. The rule would apply to fossil fuel suppliers and industrial gas suppliers, as well as to direct greenhouse gas emitters. The proposed rule does not require control of greenhouse gases, rather it requires only that sources above certain threshold levels monitor and report emissions.

The reason for the Chamber's alarm over EPA's neglect of the Data Quality Act in the proposed rule is that the ultimate credit worthiness of emissions reductions in voluntary greenhouse gas emissions trading markets (and in mandatory emissions trading markets, should they be established) hinges entirely on the reliability and quality of reported emissions data. Moreover, as the GHG emissions data will be disseminated by EPA to the public, the reputations of source emitters will be at stake.

"It seems the EPA has gone out of its way to avoid any mention of the Data Quality Act or its relevance to this issue," continued Kovacs. "Without an opportunity for public scrutiny, clear Congressional intent that the quality of data be maximized cannot be realized."

The U.S. Chamber is the world's largest business federation representing more than 3 million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and region.

# # #