Greenhouse Gas Inventory

For this required element, state and metropolitan area planning grant recipients may choose to begin with a simplified GHG inventory for the Preliminary Plan, and then complete additional analyses and data collection necessary to provide a comprehensive GHG inventory in the Comprehensive Plan. EPA acknowledges that there may already be existing GHG inventories for one or more jurisdictions within a metropolitan area and that not all jurisdictions may choose to participate under an awarded planning grant administered at the metropolitan area level. At a minimum, such emissions analyses for the GHG inventory element should include jurisdictions that have signed commitment letters or that are receiving sub-awards from the lead organization. EPA is not requiring a specific baseline year; inventory years should be chosen based on availability of underlying data and to support development of GHG targets.

Preliminary Plan: For metropolitan areas, recipients may use a variety of available GHG data (e.g., new or previously published inventories, data from EPA’s Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks by State, US GHG Reporting Program, or National Emissions Inventory, or other federal agencies) for their PCAP GHG inventory and to inform the inclusion of specific climate mitigation measures in the PCAP.

Comprehensive Plan: A comprehensive inventory must include all GHG emissions and sinks by emission source and sink category following commonly accepted protocols for the following sectors: industry, electricity generation and/or use, transportation, commercial and residential buildings, agriculture, natural and working lands, and waste and materials management. 

More information forthcoming!