WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Department of Energy (DOE) this week requested public comments on ways to improve its voluntary reporting program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The call for public input will help fulfill a directive from President Bush to reduce the greenhouse gas intensity of the US economy by 18 percent in the next 10 years as announced in the clear skies initiative earlier this year.

"This is an integral part of our efforts to meet the President’s goal to reduce greenhouse gases," Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham said. "As the President said when he unveiled his Clear Skies and Global Climate Change Initiatives, economic growth is key to environmental progress. Improving our greenhouse gas reporting system will benefit our environment without requiring a radical overhaul of our existing energy systems."

Through the Notice of Inquiry issued today, DOE requested comments on how to improve the voluntary reporting program that has, since 1995, collected data from US companies and citizens on their emissions of greenhouse gases and on their actions to reduce these emissions. DOE will consider the comments and then make recommendations to the President on how the current reporting program can be improved. The Department's Energy Information Administration maintains the program containing this data and periodically makes the data available on the web and in published reports.

Implementation of the President’s Clear Skies and Global Climate Change Initiatives will require the resolution of multiple policy, technical and legal issues. DOE is working closely with other Federal agencies to identify and ultimately resolve such issues. To help ensure that DOE’s recommendations to the President reflect the expertise and views of the businesses, institutions and individuals affected, the Energy Department has requested public participation in this process.

The Department’s Notice of Inquiry, requesting public comments by June 5, 2002, will appear in the Federal Register. This Notice and related information is also available on the web at http://www.pi.energy.gov/enhancingGHGregistry. Those wishing to provide comments may e-mail them to ghgregistry.comments@hq.doe.gov.