E.P.A Unveils Map of Major Greenhouse Gas Producers - NYT

[BrendaBrick]

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/12/science/earth/epa-unveils-map-of-major-greenhouse-gas-producers.html?_r=1&emc=tnt&tntemail1=y

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Online Map Shows Biggest Greenhouse Gas Emitters
By JOHN M. BRODER
Published: January 11, 2012

WASHINGTON — The Environmental Protection Agency for the first time is making available detailed information on sources of greenhouse gas emissions, from the Mount Sinai Hospital heating plant in Manhattan to the nation’s largest coal-burning power plant in Georgia.

The agency unveiled a searchable computerized map on Wednesday that allows users to identify the nation’s major stationary sources of carbon dioxide and other climate-changing gases, including power plants, refineries, chemical factories and paper mills. The agency said the data, which was drawn from 6,157 sources and is current through 2010, covered nearly 80 percent of the country’s greenhouse gases from large industrial sources.

Major emitters are required under a 2008 law signed by President George W. Bush to provide detailed annual reports of their emissions of carbon dioxide and five other heat-trapping gases that contribute to global warming.

Gina McCarthy, head of the E.P.A.’s office of air and radiation, said she hoped that making the information widely available would eventually lead to pressure for emissions cuts.

“This tool is designed to be user-friendly, so that businesses, industry and nonprofits can get a better understanding of where greenhouse gases are being generated and to build enthusiasm for greenhouse gas reductions,” she said in a conference call unveiling the new registry.

The administration is preparing regulations to limit carbon dioxide emissions from new power plants, but Ms. McCarthy would not say when they would be released. Efforts by the Obama administration and Democrats in Congress to pass legislation reducing greenhouse gas emissions failed in the Senate in 2010, and industries represented by the data released on Wednesday have spent heavily to oppose such laws.

Rest at the link...

[enough]

1. That is an amazingly detailed interactive map. Very easy to get specific local information.

I've learned a lot in 60 seconds.

Link to map:

http://ghgdata.epa.gov/ghgp/main.do

Thanks for posting this.

[Uncle Joe]

2. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, BrendaBrick.