Listed below are frequently asked questions related to the Greenhouse Gas Data Publication Tool. Click in the list below to jump to a question and answer.
What are the benefits of this data?
Information in the database can be used by communities to identify nearby sources of greenhouse gas emissions, help businesses track emissions and identify cost- and fuel-saving opportunities, inform policy at the state and local levels, and provide important information to the finance and investment communities.
What is the scope of this data?
The GHG Reporting Program includes data from facilities that emit 25,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per year as well as suppliers of certain fossil fuels and industrial gases. It does not include emissions from agriculture, land use, or direct emissions from sources that have annual emissions of less than 25,000 metric tons of CO2e. It also does not include sinks of GHGs. Applicable facilities must report annually.
How does EPA review the data for accuracy?
EPA has a multi-step data verification process. First, the EPA data entry tool (e-GGRT) used by facilities conducts data checks and provides feedback to reporters during the data entry phase. This occurs even before the data is submitted to EPA. Second, once the data has been submitted, EPA conducts a variety of automated data checks that include ensuring that reports are internally consistent, checking the data against expected ranges for similar facilities and industries, and statistical analysis. Based on the results of the automated checks EPA conducts a staff review of the reported data. EPA then follows up with facilities to resolve any mistakes that may have occurred.
What industry groups reported Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions data?
EPA received GHG emissions information from the following industry groups:
- Power Plants
- Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems
- Petroleum Refineries
- Chemicals Manufacturing
- Waste Facilities
- Metals Manufacturing
- Mineral Production
- Pulp and Paper Manufacturing
- Other Industrial Facilities
What source categories began reporting for the first time in Reporting Year 2011?
The following source categories were required to report 2011 GHG data to EPA for the first time in September 2012:
- Electronics manufacturing
- Fluorinated gas production
- Magnesium production
- Petroleum and natural gas systems
- Use of electric transmission and distribution equipment
- Underground coal mines
- Industrial wastewater treatment
- Geologic sequestration of carbon dioxide
- Manufacture of electric transmission and distribution
- Industrial waste landfills
- Underground injection of carbon dioxide
- Imports and exports of equipment pre-charged with fluorinated greenhouse gases or containing fluorinated greenhouse gases in closed-cell foams
What is the difference between direct emitters and suppliers?
The GHGRP collects data from two types of entities: Direct emitters and Suppliers.
- “Direct emitters” are facilities that combust fuels or otherwise put GHGs into the atmosphere directly from their facility. An example of this is a power plant that burns coal or natural gas and emits carbon dioxide directly into the atmosphere. EPA estimates that the emissions reported by direct emitters covers about half of total U.S. emissions.
- “Suppliers” are those entities that supply products into the economy which if combusted, released or oxidized emit greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. These fuels and industrial gases are not emitted from the supplier facility but instead distributed throughout the country and used. An example of this is gasoline, which is sold in the U.S. and primarily burned in cars throughout the country. The majority of GHG emissions associated with the transportation, residential and commercial sectors are accounted for by these suppliers.
How is the GHG Reporting Program data different from the U.S. GHG Inventory?
The Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks (Inventory) is a national assessment of total GHG emissions from man-made sources in the U.S. This annual report fulfills U.S. Government commitments to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). To develop the Inventory, EPA uses national energy data and other national statistics. In many cases, the emissions data in the Inventory cannot be broken down by location or facility. In contrast, the GHG Reporting Program collects data on individual facilities above certain GHG thresholds. While the GHG Reporting Program provides data on roughly 85 - 90 percent of total GHG emission in the U.S., it does not provide full coverage of total annual U.S. GHG emissions. For more information regarding the differences in data and approach between the U.S. GHG Inventory and the GHG Reporting Program data, see our fact sheet.
Will the GHG Reporting Program replace the U.S. GHG Inventory in the future?
No. The data collected under the GHG Reporting Program will not replace the annual national GHG Inventory. The Inventory fulfills U.S. Government commitments to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to report on annual national GHG emissions. The Inventory is also the best source of data for total U.S. GHG emissions across all sectors. The GHG Reporting Program focuses on large sources of emissions, and does not cover 100 percent of U.S. GHG emissions. The GHG Reporting Program will, however, serve as a useful tool to improve the overall accuracy of the Inventory.
Can I view emissions data by corporation instead of by facility?
Each facility has provided information on its parent company which is available for download through Envirofacts. You can also use FLIGHT to search for facilities associated with a given parent company. Click “Search Options” above the search bar, check the box for parent company and then type the name of the company into the search box and click Search.
The factory nearby isn’t listed. Why not?
Many large buildings and industries do not directly emit more than 25,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, and therefore may not be required to report. For example, some factories and other large buildings consume a lot of electricity to provide the energy for their operations, so the emissions occur at the power plant providing the electricity. In this case, the power plant would report the GHG emissions from the production of the electricity. The factory would not report emissions for using the electricity.
EPA’s Data Publication Tool shows a reporting facility nearby, but I don’t see a factory or other facility that would emit large amounts of GHGs. Is that a mistake?
This facility is very likely a supplier of fossil fuel, carbon dioxide or fluorinated gases and not a direct emitter. Suppliers can be importers or exporters of fossil fuels or other products, which are distributed, used, and emit greenhouse gases elsewhere. Some suppliers are located in office buildings or other non-industrial locations.
Where can I get information on other emissions from these facilities (i.e., Sulfur Dioxide, Particulate Matter, and toxics)?
EPA tracks and reports a variety of other emissions from facilities such as these. The following is a list of resources where this information can be found.
- EPA’s Toxic Release Inventory is a database containing data on disposal or other releases of over 600 toxic chemicals from thousands of U.S. facilities and information about how facilities manage those chemicals through recycling, energy recovery, and treatment.
- EPA’s National Emissions Inventory is a comprehensive and detailed estimate of air emissions of both Criteria and Hazardous air pollutants from all air emissions sources.
Should I be worried about a local facility's GHG emissions release?
Greenhouse gas emissions do not have direct adverse effects on human health like other air pollutants such as mercury or fine particulates. Instead, GHGs contribute to global warming causing the Earth’s climate to change which in turn endangers human health and welfare. For example, a warmer climate will increase the risk of heat-related illnesses and death, and will worsen conditions for air pollution. For more information, visit https://www.epa.gov/climate-indicators.
Why does the reporting tool show dashes for some of the data?
A limited amount of the data EPA received through the GHG Reporting Program is not available to the public due to confidentiality requirements. EPA has determined which data elements required to be reported are deemed confidential business information. EPA is not able to share this confidential business information with the public. For more information on these determinations, please visit https://www.epa.gov/ghgreporting/confidential-business-information-ghg-reporting.
What can a facility do to reduce its GHG emissions?
Options for reducing emissions will vary based on the type of facility, the type of emissions, and even the kind of equipment the facility is using. EPA provides technical support for a number of industry types to reduce GHG emissions through a variety of technical assistance and partnership prpgrams.
Can I obtain the raw GHG data file?
To obtain the full non-confidential GHG Reporting Program data set visit the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program page in Envirofacts. EPA will be updating the data files as well as the data publication website, periodically as the quality assurance process continues. Alternatively, you can access GHG data on Envirofacts using RESTful data services to provide query results which can be processed in your own application or web page. For more information please consult the Envirofacts Data Services API guide for GHG Data.
What do the quantities of GHG emissions mean in everyday terms?
EPA’s greenhouse gas equivalencies calculator can help you translate GHG emissions measurements into easily understood concrete terms, such as "equivalent to avoiding the carbon dioxide emissions of 183,000 cars annually." Note that the GHG Reporting Program provides emissions information in metric tons of CO2 equivalent, so be sure to select metric tons when using the equivalency calculator.