[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 48 (Monday, March 12, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14507-14508]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-5931]


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COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY


Revision to Guidance, ``Federal Greenhouse Gas Accounting and 
Reporting''

AGENCY: Council On Environmental Quality.

ACTION: Notice of Availability, Draft Revised Guidance, ``Federal 
Greenhouse Gas Accounting and Reporting''.

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SUMMARY: On October 5, 2009, President Obama signed Executive Order 
(EO) 13514, ``Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic 
Performance'' (74 FR 52117), in order to establish an integrated 
strategy toward

[[Page 14508]]

sustainability in the Federal government and to make reduction of 
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions a priority for Federal agencies. Among 
other provisions, EO 13514 requires agencies to measure, report, and 
reduce their GHG emissions.
    On October 6, 2010, The White House Council on Environmental 
Quality (CEQ) released Guidance on Federal Greenhouse Gas Accounting 
and Reporting that establishes Government-wide requirements for 
measuring and reporting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with 
Federal agency operations.
    On July 18, 2011, The Department of Energy's (DOE's) Federal Energy 
Management Program (FEMP), Department of Defense (DoD), and 
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provided recommendations for 
revision to the Federal GHG reporting and accounting procedures. CEQ 
provides this draft revision of the guidance for public review and 
comment to ensure accessibility of Federal accounting and reporting 
requirements and to enhance the quality of public involvement in 
governmental decisions relating to the environment.

DATES: Comments should be submitted on or before April 11, 2012. 
Comments received after that date may not be considered.

ADDRESSES: The Draft Revised Guidance, ``Federal Greenhouse Gas 
Accounting and Reporting'' document is available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ceq/sustainability/fed-ghg. 
Comments on the Draft Revised Guidance should be submitted 
electronically to [email protected], or in writing to The 
Council on Environmental Quality, Attn: Keith Dennis, 722 Jackson Place 
NW., Washington, DC 20503.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Keith Dennis, Senior Program Manager 
at (202) 456-5226.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Chair of the Council on Environmental 
Quality is required, under Section 5(a) of EO 13514, to issue guidance 
for greenhouse gas accounting and reporting.
    Federal agencies are required, under Section 2(c) of EO 13514, to 
establish and report to the CEQ Chair and Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) Director a comprehensive inventory of absolute GHG 
emissions, including scope 1, scope 2, and specified scope 3 emissions 
annually for each fiscal year, starting in 2010.
    Section 9(c) of EO 13514 directs DOE's FEMP, in coordination with 
EPA, DoD, General Services Administration (GSA), Department of the 
Interior (DOI), Department of Commerce (DOC), and other agencies, as 
appropriate, to develop and provide recommendations for revised Federal 
GHG reporting and accounting procedures. On July 18, 2011, the agencies 
submitted final recommendations for revisions to Federal GHG reporting 
and accounting procedures to the CEQ Chair.
    The Draft Revised Guidance, ``Federal Greenhouse Gas Accounting and 
Reporting'' will, when finalized, establish updated government-wide 
requirements for Federal agencies in calculating and reporting GHG 
emissions associated with agency operations. CEQ is seeking public 
comment on this draft guidance for 30 days. The draft guidance document 
is now available at the Council on Environmental Quality Web site at 
http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ceq/sustainability/fed-ghg.
    Public comments are requested on or before April 11, 2012. Comments 
received after that date may not be considered.
    CEQ recognizes that this guidance is vital to the Federal 
government's ability to achieve a clean energy economy that will 
increase our nation's prosperity, promote energy security, protect the 
interests of taxpayers, and safeguard the health of our environment. 
CEQ further recognizes that in order to lead by example, the Federal 
government must be transparent in its processes for accounting and 
reporting of GHG emissions.
    The Federal government seeks to continually improve both the 
quality of data and methods necessary for calculating GHG emissions. In 
accordance with EO 13514, additional requirements, methodologies and 
procedures will be included in future revisions to this document and 
supporting documents to improve the Federal Government's overall 
ability to accurately account for and report GHG emissions.

    February 27, 2012.
Nancy Sutley,
Chair, Council on Environmental Quality.
[FR Doc. 2012-5931 Filed 3-9-12; 8:45 am]
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