Overview

• The administration announced on September 12 that it seeks to rescind the obligation for large industries to calculate and publicly report their greenhouse-gas emissions.
• EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin defended the move as cutting administrative paperwork that he says does not improve air quality and would reduce costs for companies.
• Since 2010, the federal program has required major polluters to report emissions of carbon dioxide, methane, and other gases, providing data used by policymakers, scientists, investors, and the public.
• If finalized, most polluting sectors would no longer report emissions, and industries tied to Inflation Reduction Act methane reporting would receive an exemption until 2034.
• Scientists and advocates warn the rollback would conceal corporate emissions and complicate calculation of the United States’ total greenhouse gases, noting it aligns with wider efforts to unwind climate regulations and expand oil and gas production.