Ontario’s Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (MOECC) posted on the Environmental Registry, September 14, 2015, notice of proposed amendments to O. Reg. 452/09 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reporting Regulation and to the Guideline for Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reporting to support a future cap-and-trade program. The proposed amendments include:
- Lowering the reporting threshold to 10,000 tonnes CO2e from the current threshold of 25,000 tonnes per year, while maintaining the requirement to have emissions greater than 25,000 tonnes per year verified by a third party;
- dividing the emission sources into those that are only required to self-report and those that require third party verification;
- adding petroleum product suppliers and natural gas distributors to the reporting regulation, starting in 2016, to support the implementation of cap-and-trade; and
- adding other sources to the reporting regulation including: equipment used for natural gas transmission, distribution and storage, electricity imports, electricity transmission and distribution, magnesium production, and mobile equipment at facilities.
Once adopted, the proposed amendments would significantly increase the amount of emissions reported and the number of facilities reporting under the Regulation.
Technical changes to calculation methods to support cap-and-trade are also proposed to align with Quebec and California standards on: missing data; analysis methods; and reporting of production data.
The MOECC is reportedly in the process of reviewing and comparing penalties under Ontario’s Environmental Protection Act with those available under Quebec’s cap-and-trade regime. Monetary penalties for non-compliance with greenhouse gas reporting requirements in connection with the cap-and-trade program are also under consideration. Comments are due by October 29, 2015.
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Click here to access the registry posting (EBR Registry Number 012-4549).
Click here to access Regulatory Proposal: Proposed Amendments to Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reporting Regulation (O. Reg. 452/09) and Incorporated Guideline (82 pages).
Related event: Envirogate Event Management Inc. – in partnership with Canadian Environmental Regulation & Compliance News and Environmental Science & Engineering magazine – will be presenting a one-day orientation course, Dec. 2, 2015, titled: Managing Air & GHG Emissions: The New Essentials. The course will feature presentations on Ontario’s proposed new cap-and-trade regulation, (which is expected to be posted on the EBR Registry later this Fall), as well as presentations on integrating cap-and-trade into an existing air emissions management system. The event is being held as part of the 22nd annual Environmental Compliance Essentials conference – to be held at the Mississauga Grand Conference & Event Centre, Nov. 30 – Dec. 2, 2015. For more information on the courses offered, visit: www.envirogate.ca/environmental-compliance-essentials
Article courtesy Canadian Environmental Regulation & Compliance News (CERCN), October 2015. For subscription information and sample issues go to: www.templegateinfo.com/canadian-environmental-regulation-compliance-news/
