When the Environmental Protection Agency proposed to repeal most of the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program last year, the intent was clear: to reduce administrative burden and save businesses money.
The aim is laudable. Cutting unnecessary regulation and empowering American industry are core principles of good governance. But in this case, a seemingly deregulatory action will actually create a greater administrative burden, higher costs and capital flight — and in Texas alone, the EPA’s plans could jeopardize billions in private investment.
The Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program requires major industrial facilities and energy suppliers to report standardized, facility-level emissions data on greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, that contribute to climate change. The EPA reasoned that repealing the program would save companies money — on the order of $2.4 billion over the next decade.
