Iowa Code section 455B.131, as amended by Senate File 485 in 2007, requires the department to include estimates of emissions of some greenhouse gases in its construction permitting and emissions inventory programs. This bill also instructs the department to create a voluntary greenhouse gas registry for purposes of tracking and crediting companies in Iowa that reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases or that provide increased energy efficiency.

Important information about which greenhouses gases need to be quantified, tools to help you complete the emissions estimates, and guidance on reporting requirements will be added to this web site as they are developed.

On May 13, 2010, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a final rule that sets thresholds for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that define when permits under the New Source Review Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) and title V Operating Permit programs are required for new and existing industrial facilities.

• Fact Sheet - Final Rule (PDF File)
• Frequently Asked Questions (PDF File) New!
• Presentation at June 15, 2010 EPC Meeting (PDF File)

• Proposed Rule Changes New!

  On July 20, 2010 the Environmental Protection Commission (EPC) approved publication of a Notice of Intended Action (NOIA) proposing changes to air quality rules. The purpose of the proposed rulemaking is to assure that sources of greenhouse gas emissions in Iowa are regulated in the same manner and at the same levels as specified in new federal regulations for greenhouse gases, the Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) and Title V Greenhouse Gas Tailoring Rule (Tailoring Rule). The Department is proposing a rulemaking to amend the state’s Title V and PSD air quality rules for greenhouse gas emission regulation such that the state rules match the federal Tailoring Rule. Links to the proposed rules are available below.

  Any person may make written suggestions or comments on the proposed amendments and the associated forms on or before September 14, 2010. Written comments should be directed to Christine Paulson, Department of Natural Resources, Air Quality Bureau, 7900 Hickman Road, Suite 1, Windsor Heights, Iowa 50324, fax (515) 242–5094, or by electronic mail to christine.paulson@dnr.iowa.gov.

  A public hearing will be held on Monday, September 13, 2010, at 1:00 p.m. in the conference rooms at the Department’s Air Quality Bureau office located at 7900 Hickman Road, Windsor Heights, Iowa. At the public hearing, comments on the proposed amendments may be submitted orally or in writing. All comments must be received no later than Tuesday, September, 2010.

  Proposed rulemaking package approved by the EPC on July 20, 2010 (PDF File)

  The Notice of Intended Action will be published on August 11, 2010, in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin.

• Presentation from June 28 Webinar (PDF File)
• Recording of June 28 Webinar (Off-Site)

• Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report (PDF File)
• Cover Letter (PDF File)
  
  

• Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report (PDF File)
• Cover Letter (PDF File)
  
  

• Report (PDF File)
  MMtCO2e values in Table 4 on p. 14 corrected on 2/10/09
• Cover Letter (PDF File)
  
  

• EPA GHG Mandatory Reporting Rule FAQ (PDF File)
• Presentation on the Mandatory Reporting Rule (PDF File)

On December 29, 2009 EPA’s Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Rule (MRR) became effective. The MRR requires facilities subject to the rule to report their GHG emissions directly to EPA starting with their 2010 GHG emissions data by March 31, 2011. Therefore, DNR will no longer require facilities to report GHG emissions to DNR. Approximately 100 Iowa Title V and ethanol plant facilities are estimated to be subject to the MRR.

Please visit http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/ghgrulemaking.html to determine if your facility is subject to the MRR reporting requirements. A frequently asked questions document and presentation on the MRR have also been posted on this page under the heading "EPA Mandatory Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule". If you have questions, please contact the EPA MRR hotline at 1-877-GHG-1188 or GHGMRR@epa.gov, or Marnie Stein of DNR at 515-281-8468 or marnie.stein@dnr.iowa.gov.

• Ethanol Production – All Facilities
• Instructions (PDF File) - Revised 1/13/2010
• Reporting Spreadhseet (XLS File) - Revised 1/13/2010



• Title V Facilities Only – Fuel Combustion and HFC/PFC/SF6 Emissions
  Facilities are not required to report fuel use from their vehicle fleet
• Instructions (PDF File)
• Common HFC and PFC Chemical Names, Trade Names, and Blends (PDF File)
• Reporting Spreadsheet (XLS File)



• Title V Facilities Only - Other Industrial Sectors
• Cement Manufacturing (SIC 3241) (XLS File)
• Lime Manufacturing (SIC 3274) (XLS File)
• Ammonia Production and Urea Application (SIC 2873) (XLS File)
• Nitric Acid Production (SIC 2873) (XLS File)
• Iron and Steel Production (SIC 3312) (XLS File) This form is only required for steel mills and facilities with blast furnaces that fall under SIC 3312.
If your facility uses soda ash, please use this spreadsheet:
• Soda Ash Reporting Spreadsheet (XLS File)

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Air Quality Bureau has developed a new guidance document for estimating greenhouse gas emissions from selected stationary sources. The document contains information on data sources, emission factors, and estimation methods that are consistent with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Good Practice Guidance, the Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks, the California Climate Action Registry's General Reporting Protocol, and EPA guidance. This living document will be updated periodically to incorporate new emission factors and methods as they become available. The document suggests appropriate emission factors and estimation methods; use of specific emission factors is not mandated.

The Department has revised the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Estimation Guidance to remove Table 5.3 – Fugitive Refrigerant Loss. The table is used by the California Climate Action Registry's General Reporting Protocol to determine whether or not an air conditioning system is significant or de minimis for reporting. However, because the Iowa DNR currently does not have a de minimis reporting threshold, the table has been removed from the guidance as of 10/3/2007.

• Greenhouse Gas Emissions Estimation Guidance (PDF File)
• California Climate Action Registry's General Reporting Protocol
• Revised 1996 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories
• Clearinghouse of Non-CO2 GHG Control Technologies - The California Air Resources Board (ARB) has posted a clearinghouse of non-CO2 GHG control technologies on its website. The technologies can be used to reduce emissions of non-CO2 greenhouse gases, such as methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, sulfur hexafluoride and black carbon.

Starting on July 2, 2007, construction permit applications must include potential greenhouse gas emissions for the project. Applications received without this information will be considered incomplete and the permit(s) cannot be issued until the information has been received. Please note that the Linn County and Polk County air permitting programs are also subject to the same requirements. The following form (Form GHG) has been developed by the Department for the reporting of Greenhouse Gas Emissions for projects:

• Form GHG - Greenhouse Gas Information (DOC File | PDF File)

The Climate Registry is a nonprofit organization that provides meaningful information to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Climate Registry establishes consistent, transparent standards throughout North America for businesses and governments to calculate, verify and publicly report their carbon footprints in a single, unified registry. To read the press release, click here.

• The Climate Registry
• Thriving in the New Carbon Economy (PDF File)

• ICCAC Home Page

• EPA Climate Change - Main Site.
• ENERGY STAR Challenge - ENERGY STAR Challenge is a national call-to-action to improve the energy efficiency of America’s commercial and industrial buildings by 10 percent or more.
• EPA GreenChill Partnership - GreenChill is an EPA cooperative alliance with the supermarket industry and suppliers to promote advanced technologies, strategies, and practices that reduce emissions of stratospheric ozone-depleting substances and greenhouse gases.
• EPA's Green Building Program - Green building is the practice of creating structures and using processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building's life-cycle from siting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation and deconstruction. This practice expands and complements the classical building design concerns of economy, utility, durability, and comfort. Green building is also known as a sustainable or high performance building.
• EPA Partnerships
• A Business Guide to U.S. EPA Climate Partnership Programs (PDF File)
• EPA's Green Homes Web Site

• Iowa DNR - Air Quality Bureau's Climate Change Web Page