New York introduces mandatory greenhouse gas reporting from 2027.

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Amanda Lefton announced the finalization of a new regulation to introduce mandatory disclosure of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from carbon-intensive sectors. Reporting is scheduled to begin in 2027, reports esgtoday.com.

The new reporting requirements come as the federal government under the Trump administration has retreated from initiatives to ensure transparency about corporate and industrial emissions. These include the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) plans to end the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (GHGRP) and the SEC's move to halt enforcement of its own new climate reporting rules.

Several states, including New York and California, have taken steps to introduce climate disclosure requirements in the past few months.

New York City's plans

The DEC's finalization of the regulations follows a directive issued by New York Governor Kathy Hochul earlier this year to accelerate the Greenhouse Gas Mandatory Reporting Program. It is designed to provide information on the state's major polluters, inform greenhouse gas reduction policies, assess compliance with emission reduction programs, and help the state meet its emissions reduction goals.

Under the new regulation, companies will be required to annually provide the DEC with certain greenhouse gas emissions data, starting in June 2027, reflecting emissions from the previous year. In addition, certain large emitters will also be required to annually verify their emissions data reports using DEC-accredited third-party verification services.

Companies required to report under the new regulations must emit 10,000 metric tons of CO2e per year. The new regulation covers the following sectors and activities:

• electricity production
• stationary combustion
• landfills
• waste to energy conversion
• natural gas compressor stations and other infrastructure
• fuel suppliers, including natural gas, liquid fuels and petroleum products, liquefied natural gas and compressed natural gas, as well as coal
• waste haulers with estimated emissions from solid waste transported to landfills or combustion facilities outside of New York City exceeding 10,000 MT CO2e per year
• power companies
• suppliers of agricultural lime and fertilizers, as well as anaerobic digestion and storage of waste liquids in facilities with waste imported or generated at the facility generating 10,000 MT of CO2 per year

"DEC's greenhouse gas emissions reporting program and subsequent data collection are critical to the state's ongoing efforts to protect the environment and improve the health and quality of life of all New Yorkers," said Amanda Lefton.