What is the GHGRP?

The GHGRP (codified at 40 CFR Part 98) requires reporting of greenhouse gas (GHG) data and other relevant information from large GHG emission sources, fuel and industrial gas suppliers, and CO₂ injection sites in the United States. This data can be used by businesses and others to track and compare facilities' greenhouse gas emissions, identify opportunities to cut pollution, minimize wasted energy, and save money. States, cities, and other communities can use EPA’s greenhouse gas data to find high-emitting facilities in their area, compare emissions between similar facilities, and develop common-sense climate policies.

On this page:

Scope of Emissions Covered in GHGRP
Who is Required to Report?
Reporting Methodology and Verification
Where to Find Data
Potential Reporters
Discontinue Reporting

Scope of Emissions Covered in GHGRP

The program includes reporting requirements for both direct emitters (facility-level) and upstream suppliers:

Direct emissions reported under the program fall under Scope 1¹ and are reported at the individual facility level, although U.S. parent company information is also collected. Total reported emissions from these facilities are about 3 billion metric tons CO₂e, which accounts for about 50 percent of total U.S. GHG emissions.
Suppliers report the amount of CO₂e that would be released if the products they produce, import, or export (e.g. fossil fuels) were released, combusted, or oxidized. These are reported at the corporate level and fall under Scope 3¹ emissions, Category 11 (Use of Sold Products, Direct use-phase emissions).

Data reported from both direct emitters and upstream suppliers combined cover 85-90 percent of US GHG emissions. A complete accounting of total U.S. GHG emissions is available through a separate EPA report, the U.S. Greenhouse Gas Inventory. Learn about the differences between the GHGRP and the Inventory.

The GHGRP reporting program does not include emissions from:

Agriculture.
Direct emissions sources that have annual emissions of less than 25,000 metric tons of CO₂e, unless the source is required to report regardless of their total annual emissions. For additional details, see Who is Required to Report
Sinks of greenhouse gases.
The reporting of data on electricity purchases or indirect emissions from energy consumption, which falls under Scope 2¹ emissions.

The program collects data at the facility level and does not include data from all emission sources in the U.S. Therefore, data collected under the GHGRP does not reflect all greenhouse gas emissions associated with any specific parent company. For more information on parent company level information, please visit the GHGRP FAQ web page.

¹The terms Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions originate from the World Resources Institute Greenhouse Gas Protocol, a widely used greenhouse gas accounting standard. https://ghgprotocol.org/

Who is Required to Report?

A total of 41 categories of reporters are covered by the GHGRP. Facilities and suppliers determine whether they are required to report based on the types of industrial operations, their emission levels, or other factors. Facilities and suppliers are generally required to submit annual reports under Part 98 if:

GHG emissions from covered sources exceed 25,000 metric tons CO₂e per year.
Supply of certain products would result in over 25,000 metric tons CO₂e of GHG emissions if those products were released, combusted, or oxidized.
The facility receives 25,000 metric tons or more of CO₂ for underground injection.

For additional detail on source threshold requirements, please see FAQ: Who Reports?

Reporting Methodology and Verification

Reporting Methodology

Facilities calculate emissions using methodologies that are specified at 40 CFR Part 98, and report data to EPA using the electronic Greenhouse Gas Reporting Tool (e-GGRT). Annual reports covering emissions from the prior calendar year are due by March 31^st of each year.

Reporters generally have the flexibility to choose among several methods to compute GHG emissions. The decision of which method to use may be influenced by the existing environmental monitoring systems in place and other factors. Reporters can change emission calculation methods from year to year and within the same year, as long as they meet the requirements for use of the method selected.

GHGRP Methodology Factsheet (pdf) (91.6 KB)
Subpart C Methodologies Factsheet (pdf) (100.38 KB)

Verification

Once data are submitted, EPA conducts a multi-step verification process to ensure reported data are accurate, complete, and consistent. If potential errors are identified, EPA will notify the reporter, who can resolve the issue either by providing an acceptable response describing why the flagged issue is not an error or by correcting the flagged issue and resubmitting their annual GHG report.

GHGRP Verification Factsheet (pdf) (204.99 KB)

Data collected under the GHGRP is made publicly available unless the data qualifies for confidential treatment under the Clean Air Act. For additional information, visit the confidential business information (CBI) webpage for more information.

Where to Find Data

The reported data are made available to the public in the fall of each year through several available tools, resources, and factsheets accessible via the Find and Use GHGRP Data web page.

Potential Reporters

If your business is or may be required to report GHG emissions to the GHGRP, visit the For GHG Reporters page for more information about reporting requirements, training, and the e-GGRT reporting system. Potential reporters may also review FAQs and assess applicability.

Discontinue Reporting

Requirements to discontinue reporting are outlined in 40 CFR Part 98.2(i) of the General Provisions. For additional information on requirements to discontinue reporting, please visit the GHGRP help web page, FAQs Addressing Notification to Discontinue