Officials push forward on controversial plan that could have widespread health impact: 'The public has a right to know'

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency plans to eliminate a 15-year-old program that requires businesses to report the amount of harmful carbon pollution they emit each year, according to The New York Times.

What's happening?

The Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program became effective in 2010. The program requires more than 8,000 U.S. companies and vendors to report how much heat-trapping pollution they produce annually, allowing the EPA to track this data over time.

In March, the EPA announced it was considering stopping the program. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin stated that the program costs businesses "millions of dollars" and makes it more difficult for small businesses to operate.

ProPublica recently reported that the agency may be even closer to getting rid of — or at least downsizing — the GHGRP after an EPA meeting in April. At the meeting, officials instructed staff to rescind reporting requirements for 40 of the 41 industries currently required to submit data.

Why are reduced reporting requirements a problem?

The GHGRP was created to shed light on pollution from major industries so that the public could understand the risks. This is especially important for communities close to power plants, refineries, and manufacturing hubs. Scaling back these requirements makes it more difficult to track air pollution and for families to know what they breathe.

Without this data, local leaders won't have the information they need to advocate for cleaner air or hold polluters accountable. "The public has a right to know how much climate pollution is being emitted," said Vickie Patton, general counsel for the Environmental Defense Fund, per the Times. Patton also called it an "irresponsible" move.

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What's being done to combat pollution?

Despite the potential rollback of the GHGRP, many companies are still committed to reducing pollution and their carbon footprint. Major corporations like Microsoft and Unilever have pledged to invest in carbon offset projects while lowering their harmful pollution. LanzaTech is also working on technology to turn carbon pollution into usable products.

There are also numerous other policies in place around the country to make the planet cleaner. New York's Climate Superfund will collect $75 billion from oil companies over two decades to address climate-related damages. Wisconsin lawmakers proposed the Climate Accountability Act, aiming to cut heat-trapping pollution in half by 2030.

These efforts show that states and companies are stepping up to push for a cleaner future, even as federal oversight shifts. Explore critical climate issues and become part of the solution.

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