| The US Environmental Protection Agency
has unveiled a new tool that gives the public easy access to
facility-level greenhouse gas emissions data.
That means individuals, communities and companies can see
how much global warming pollution is being produced by facilities
in their areas.
However, the data only covers the nation's largest polluters
- those generating 25,000 metric tonnes or more of carbon
dioxide equivalent. Power plants and petroleum refineries
represent the largest stationary emissions sources.
"Our hope is that people outside the EPA
and outside the federal government will use this data as a
powerful resource for better decision making - and, in the
end, use the data in ways that we here at the EPA have not
even contemplated," said Gina McCarthy, EPA assistant administrator,
during a conference call with reporters.
"What we can bank on is that better information will always
lead to a better informed public, which will lead to better
environmental protection."
The data
publication tool covers 2010 calendar data from more
than 6,700 facilities, equal to about 80 percent of total
US emissions. Users can search and download data by facility,
location, sector and type of greenhouse gas. Facilities in
nine sectors are now covered - including power plants, refineries,
steel mills and cement producers.
"This publicly available data enriches and empowers all of
us who want to identify opportunities for reducing greenhouse
gases," McCarthy said. "The data can be used by communities
to identify nearby sources of greenhouse gas emissions.
"It can be used by facilities to compare their emissions
to similar operations to see where they may be cost-effective
opportunities for reductions. It can be used by businesses
to track their own emissions over time and to monitor their
greenhouse gas reduction success."
Twelve additional industry groups will begin reporting data
for the first time this year for the program, which the EPA
was ordered to create by Congress in 2008. Also on the horizon,
the agency will work to verify and refine the data.
"Next month we'll open electronic reporting, so facilities
can begin reporting 2011 data," McCarthy said. "We look forward
to the second year of data so we can start tracking emissions
trends for the first time."
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