In a proposed rule on Tuesday, June 29, 2010, the EPA requested public comment on which industry-related GHG information should be made publicly available, and which the agency should consider confidential.

Under the Clean Air Act, all emission data are public. Some non-emission data, however, may be considered confidential, because it relates to specific information which, if made public, could harm a business's competitiveness. Examples of data considered confidential under this proposal include certain information reported by fossil fuel and industrial gas suppliers related to production quantities and raw materials. The EPA said it is committed to providing the public with as much information as possible while following the law, but this nod to industry, one of the chief complaints against it reporting rule, could signify the agency is willing to budge at least a bit in its drive to count and eventually control GHGs.

The GHG reporting program requires suppliers of fossil fuels or industrial GHGs and large direct emitters of greenhouse gases to report to the EPA. The agency is preparing to provide data to the public after the first annual GHG reports are submitted in March 2011.

There will be a 60-day public comment period on the proposed rules that will begin upon publication in the Federal register.

More information on the proposal on data confidentiality is available at www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/CBI.html

SOURCE: EPA Press Release