NEW EPA Rule on Greenhouse Gases References 42 ASTM Standards

ASTM International is a primary standards contributor to a recent rule approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on greenhouse gas reporting by large sources and suppliers in the U.S. The final Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Rule was enacted in response to the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2008 (H.R. 2764; Public Law 110-161). Under the rule, manufacturers of vehicles and engines and other entities that emit 25,000 metric tons or more per year of greenhouse gas emissions are required to submit annual reports to EPA.

The standards referenced are test methods and specifications that cover a diverse set of topics – including aviation fuel, water, coal sampling systems and hydraulic cement – and can assist businesses in tracking and reporting their own emissions. In addition to the standards listed in the EPA rule, ASTM committees are currently working on several proposed new standards related to climate change. These include WK21096, Guide for Disclosures Related to Climate Change Exposures/Risks, and WK21808, Guide for Climate Change Assessment and Risk Management, both under development by ASTM International Committee E50 on Environmental Assessment, Risk Management and Corrective Action.

The rule was signed by Lisa P. Jackson, U.S. EPA administrator, on Sept. 22, and goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2010. First annual reports are to be submitted to the EPA in 2011, covering calendar year 2010. Gases covered by the rule are: carbon dioxide; methane; nitrous oxide; hydrofluorocarbons; petrofluorcarbons; sulfur hexafluoride; and other fluorinated gases, including nitrogen trifluoride and hydrofluorinated ethers.

The purpose of the EPA’s new reporting system is to provide better understanding of the sources of greenhouse gases, which are produced by burning fossil fuels and through industrial
and biological processes. Report data may also identify cost-effective ways to reduce future greenhouse gas emissions.