The amendments made in order 849 dated 17th of December 2010 to BC’s greenhouse gas Reporting Regulation have come into effect for 2011 calendar year emission reports (to be reported by March 31, 2012). These amendments include:
- Establishment of a third class of reporting operation – electricity import operation – for the purpose of including imported electricity under the regulation.
- Establishment of a reporting-only class of emissions for the purpose of including aboveground coal mine fugitive emissions, along with mobile equipment and carbon dioxide from Schedule C biomass sources.
- Miscellaneous improvements including: (i) addition of further requirements to ensure that changes between methods on the part of reporting operations will result in improved emissions estimates; (ii) clarification on handling of terminals/storage tanks; (iii) addition of red liquor to Schedule C; and (iv) an update of quantification method references to incorporate new and revised quantification methods developed by the Western Climate Initiative.
- Various changes to data to be reported, including: (i) addition of Income Tax Act business numbers, DUNS and Bradstreet numbers to reports; and (ii) addition of process flow diagrams to reports starting in 2012.
- Clarifications have been made to site visit requirements for linear facility operations and changes have been made to the required contents of verification statements.
Additional updates to the Reporting Regulation may be introduced by the government based on the proposed Emissions Trading Regulation and Offsets Regulation, which are expected to be finalized in 2011. These changes could include further reporting-only sources, additions to the Schedule C list of biomass, and additional verification and compliance requirements.