The EPA in the Thursday, July 15, 2010, Federal Register published a Call for Information to solicit information and viewpoints from interested parties on approaches to accounting for greenhouse gas emissions from bioenergy and other biogenic sources, signifying the agency likely has this industry sector in its sights for the next round of carbon counting and control.

The agency has been implementing its climate change control regulations piecemeal, selecting industry sectors one at a time based largely on each industry's respective GHG output. Greater emitters, e.g. the power industry, have already been required to account for their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and will assuredly be required to begin controlling those emissions in the future. Mining was second. And considering the agency is soliciting opinions on biofuels, it can be assumed the ethanol industry will be next.

The purpose of this call, according to the agency, is to request comment on developing an approach for such emissions under the Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) and Title V Programs, as well as to receive data submissions about these sources and their emissions, general technical comments on accounting for these emissions, and comments on the underlying science that should inform possible accounting approaches.

Information and comments must be received on or before Sept. 13, 2010.

Source: Federal Register