SACRAMENTO,  April 27, 2015 – The American Carbon Registry (ACR), a nonprofit enterprise of Winrock International, announced today the approval of a carbon offset methodology for the measurement, monitoring, reporting and verification of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions associated with carbon capture and storage (CCS) of carbon dioxide (CO2) in geologic formations. The methodology was developed by Blue Strategies, LLC, an affiliate of Blue Source, LLC.

CCS technologies prevent CO2 emissions pro­duced from industrial processes or from the use of combustion fuels in electricity generation and industry from entering the atmosphere. A typical CCS project consists of capturing, transporting, compressing and securely storing the CO2 underground in depleted oil and gas fields or deep saline aquifer formations.

The new ACR CCS methodology outlines the requirements for the creation of carbon offsets by CCS project developers that capture and store CO2 in oil and gas reservoirs including eligibility, ownership, regulatory compliance and rigorous monitoring, reporting, and verification during active project operation as well as post-project to ensure permanent CO2 storage. Eligible CO2 sources include power plants that burn coal, natural gas, or oil and industrial facilities such as petroleum refineries, oil and gas production facilities, iron and steel mills, cement plants, fertilizer plants, ethanol distilleries and chemical plants. The methodology draws on the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions’ Greenhouse Gas Accounting Framework for Carbon Capture and Storage Projects.

According to the U.S. EPA’s Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks, the electricity and industrial sectors combined account for 52% of all GHG emissions in the U.S.  CCS technologies possess great potential to permanently store CO2 emissions from these sectors, and this methodology aims to provide a first of its kind incentive designed to spur increased investment in CCS projects.

“Today’s announcement marks a critical step in the ongoing quest to enable and facilitate viable, meaningful, measurable and sustainable reductions in anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions through geologic sequestration,” said Bill Townsend, Chief Executive Officer of Blue Strategies.  “The methodology will help enable both market and regulatory incentives which, in turn, will incentivize both quantification and monetization of material volumes of greenhouse gas reductions. We are grateful for ACR’s leadership on this issue.”

The new methodology also has the potential to inform California regulators at the Air Resources Board (ARB), who have recently embarked on the development of a CCS GHG emissions reductions quantification methodology. Once approved by the Board, the ARB quantification methodology is intended to be used for accounting for potential reductions in compliance obligations for regulated entities in the Cap-and-Trade Program and is also being proposed under the Low Carbon Fuel Standard for reductions in the carbon intensity of fuels produced in processes that employ CCS technologies.

“American Carbon Registry is extremely pleased to announce the approval of this innovative and rigorous offset methodology, which unlocks the potential to drive carbon finance for large-scale emissions reductions from CCS projects,” said John Kadyszewski, American Carbon Registry Director. “We look forward to working with companies as they develop CCS offset projects as well as to expanding the applicability of the methodology to new geographies and for new regulatory contexts.”

SACRAMENTO, April 27, 2015 – The American Carbon Registry (ACR), a nonprofit enterprise of Winrock International, announced today the approval of a carbon offset methodology for the measurement, monitoring, reporting and verification of greenhouse gas emission reductions associated with carbon capture and storage (CCS) of carbon dioxide (CO2) in geologic formations. The methodology was developed by Blue Strategies, LLC, an affiliate of Blue Source, LLC.

CCS technologies prevent CO2 emissions pro­duced from industrial processes or from the use of combustion fuels in electricity generation and industry from entering the atmosphere. A typical CCS project consists of capturing, transporting, compressing and securely storing the CO2 underground in depleted oil and gas fields or deep saline aquifer formations.

The new ACR CCS methodology outlines the requirements for the creation of carbon offsets by CCS project developers that capture and store CO2 in oil and gas reservoirs including eligibility, ownership, regulatory compliance and rigorous monitoring, reporting, and verification during active project operation as well as post-project to ensure permanent CO2 storage. Eligible CO2 sources include power plants that burn coal, natural gas, or oil and industrial facilities such as petroleum refineries, oil and gas production facilities, iron and steel mills, cement plants, fertilizer plants, ethanol distilleries and chemical plants. The methodology draws on the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions’ Greenhouse Gas Accounting Framework for Carbon Capture and Storage Projects.

According to the U.S. EPA’s Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks, the electricity and industrial sectors combined account for 52% of all GHG emissions in the U.S.  CCS technologies possess great potential to permanently store CO2 emissions from these sectors, and this methodology aims to provide a first of its kind incentive designed to spur increased investment in CCS projects.

“Today’s announcement marks a critical step in the ongoing quest to enable and facilitate viable, meaningful, measurable and sustainable reductions in anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions through geologic sequestration,” said Bill Townsend, Chief Executive Officer of Blue Strategies.  “The methodology will help enable both market and regulatory incentives which, in turn, will incentivize both quantification and monetization of material volumes of greenhouse gas reductions. We are grateful for ACR’s leadership on this issue.”

The new methodology also has the potential to inform California regulators at the Air Resources Board (ARB), who have recently embarked on the development of a CCS GHG emissions reductions quantification methodology. Once approved by the Board, the ARB quantification methodology is intended to be used for accounting for potential reductions in compliance obligations for regulated entities in the Cap-and-Trade Program and is also being proposed under the Low Carbon Fuel Standard for reductions in the carbon intensity of fuels produced in processes that employ CCS technologies.

“American Carbon Registry is extremely pleased to announce the approval of this innovative and rigorous offset methodology, which unlocks the potential to drive carbon finance for large-scale emissions reductions from CCS projects,” said John Kadyszewski, American Carbon Registry Director. “We look forward to working with companies as they develop CCS offset projects as well as to expanding the applicability of the methodology to new geographies and for new regulatory contexts.”

The American Carbon Registry (ACR), a nonprofit enterprise of Winrock International, announces the open public comment period for a new methodology for Emission Reduction Measurement and Monitoring Methodology for Use of Reclaimed HFC Refrigerants and Advanced Refrigeration Systems.The Methodology was developed by EOS Climate.

Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are used as coolants in refrigeration and air conditioning systems, as propellants in aerosol sprays and medical devices, and as insulation foam blowing agents. While HFCs are not Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) and therefore an acceptable substitute for chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) under the Montreal Protocol, they have high global warming potentials (GWPs) and contribute to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. According to the 2014 EPA Inventory of US GHG Emissions and Sinks, the substitution of ODS with chemicals used as ODS alternatives, such as HFCs, accounts for 159 MMT CO2e/year.

The intent of this methodology is to incentivize voluntary GHG emissions reductions through the use of reclaimed HFC refrigerants to displace the production and use of virgin HFC refrigerants, and through the use of zero/low GWP alternatives in commercial and industrial refrigeration systems.

REGISTER HERE to join a free ACR webinar on Wednesday, April 1, 2015 to learn more about the methodology and provide feedback on eligible activities as well as baseline and emission reduction quantification. Presentations will be made by Jeff Cohen of EOS Climate and by Eric Ripley of ACR.

Please send public comments on the methodology to ACR@winrock.org by April 15, 2015.

The American Carbon Registry (ACR), a non-profit enterprise of Winrock International, has in the approval process a new methodology entitled Emission Reduction Measurement and Monitoring Methodology for the Conversion of Foam Blowing Agents from High-GWP Materials to Low-GWP Materials. The methodology was developed by Dentons US LLP.

It is common for the foam manufacturing industry to use blowing agents that contain hydrofluorocarbons (HFC) which have high global warming potentials. Today, alternatives to these HFC-based blowing agents are available but are not commonly used. The Methodology provides a performance standard-based quantification framework for the creation of carbon offset credits from the resulting reduction in GHGs from the use of alternatives to HFC-based foam blowing agents and is intended to be used as an incentive for the industry to make the transition to low emissions alternatives.

Please send comments to ACR@Winrock.org by March 20, 2015.

American Carbon Registry is accepting stakeholder comments on the following technical documents:

-Proposed updates to the American Carbon Registry Standard, which details ACR’s requirements and specifications for the quantification, monitoring, and reporting of project-based GHG emissions reductions and removals, verification, project registration, and issuance of voluntary carbon offsets.

-Proposed modification to the modular methodology for Restoration of Degraded Deltaic Wetlands of the Mississippi Delta

Visit ACR’s website for details on these proposed modifications.

Please send comments to ACR@winrock.org by December 22, 2014.

Sacramento CA, September 24, 2014 – The California Air Resources Board (ARB) recently completed the first phase of updating several Compliance Offset Protocols, including the U.S. Forest Protocol. A draft version of the US Forest Protocol was made publicly available in June 2014.

ARB staff solicited and incorporated input from stakeholders into the proposed version released along with the staff report for public review on July 29, 2014. The formal 45-day public comment period began on August 1, 2014, and the new Compliance Offset Protocol along with the proposed amendments to the Regulation were considered at the September 18, 2014 Board hearing.

Several changes were incorporated and approved in this update, however the California Air Resources Board voted to delay the decision to implement proposed updates to the common practice values in the assessment area data file and associated site classifications in the US Forests Compliance Offset Protocol. Recent efforts by the American Carbon Registry and project developers were successful in bringing attention to the implications of this proposed change, which resulted in the Board decision to delay implementation. The Board has instead decided to include this revision in the upcoming Regulatory Review Update, which is scheduled to be presented to the ARB Board at the December 2014 Board meeting.

According to ARB staff, an initial draft document including proposed changes to the US Forests Compliance Offset Protocol will be made available to the public on October 21, 2014. This version will include more comprehensive changes to protocol language, and will also include the provisions for updating the assessment area data file and site classification groupings that dictate High and Low site class designations.

Following the October 21 release of the proposed changes, interested members of the public will have 45 days to review and make comments to ARB. The Board will then convene on December 11-12, 2014 where they will vote to accept these changes as written. If written public comments or public testimony at the board hearings warrant changes, then the Board will direct ARB staff to hold a second 15 day public comment period where draft changes to the protocol will be reviewed by ARB staff.

Following the second comment period, the ARB Board will hold a vote during one of their subsequent board meetings. If approved by the Office of Administrative Law (OAL), the final changes will go into effect at some point in May 2015, allowing projects to list under the most recent version of the forestry protocol until that date.

Register now for the American Carbon Registry’s webinar on October 14, 2014 with guest speakers from the California ARB and the US Forest Service (USFS) Forest Inventory Assessment (FIA) group. Participants will learn about how the FIA data set is collected and updated, how common practice values are generated within this data set and why site class groups are to be reassigned. The presentation will include an overview of the upcoming Regulatory Review Update process. There will be opportunities for the public to ask questions and have them addressed by ARB staff.

Please direct any questions ACR Director of Forestry Jessica Orrego or ACR Senior Forestry Associate Stewart Mc McMorrow.

Sacramento, CA, May 29, 2014 – On May 29th, the California Air Resources Board (ARB) announced its review of compliance offset credits (ARBOCs) issued for ozone depleting substances (ODS) destruction events that took place at the Clean Harbors Incineration Facility in El Dorado, Arkansas, which may have been generated while the facility was not in compliance with provisions of its operating permit issued under the federal Resource Conversation and Recovery Act (RCRA). ARB believes the greenhouse gas reductions represented by the offsets are real, quantified, and verified reductions. None of the compliance offset credits currently under review have been used for compliance in the Cap-and-Trade Program.

The offset program serves as an important cost containment feature of the Cap-and-Trade Program, however, the Regulation allows ARB to review and invalidate any issued compliance offset credits that were generated if the offset project activity and implementation of the offset project was not in conformance with local, state, or national environmental and health and safety regulations during the reporting period for which the ARB offset credit was issued.

During the period of review, ARB has blocked transfers on CITSS of potentially impacted compliance offset credits. All parties identified as holders of potentially impacted compliance offset credits have 25 calendar days to provide additional information to ARB to aid in the review. ARB may also request specific additional information to aid in its review. The Executive Officer has 30 calendars from the day that all information is submitted to make a final determination whether to invalidate any compliance offset credits subject to review. Once the review is completed, any compliance offset credits determined to meet the requirements of the Regulation, will be made available to the CITSS accounts of the respective owners. Parties holding offset credits issued for projects that took place at the Clean Harbors Incineration Facility should remain cognizant of the current review by ARB.

Questions about ARB’s review should be directed to ARB. Questions about ODS projects in process as well as about ERTs and Registry Offset Credits (ROCs) that ACR has issued to potentially impacted ODS projects can be directed to Mary Grady at mgrady@winrock.org or by calling 805-884-1961.

LITTLE ROCK, Ar. (March 17, 2014) – American Carbon Registry (ACR), a nonprofit enterprise of Winrock International (Winrock) today announced approval of Mid-South modules for its firstof-a-kind carbon offset methodology to quantify greenhouse gas reductions from rice production. The Mid-South modules of the methodology for Emission Reductions in Rice Management Systems were developed by Terra Global Capital LLC in partnership with Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), Applied Geosolutions, LLC, and White River Irrigation District and funded through a USDA Conservation Innovation Grant.

The ACR rice management methodology and newly approved Mid-South modules provide a comprehensive framework for developing projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and generate marketable carbon offset credits. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s 2012 greenhouse gas inventory, the U.S. agriculture sector is responsible for 526 million metric tons, or 8% of domestic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions per year, which presents an enormous opportunity for the adoption of voluntary conservation practices that reduce emissions.

Rice cultivation is the third largest source of methane emissions in the sector, and the top two rice producing states, Arkansas and California, are responsible for over half of U.S. emissions from rice production. The approval of the Mid-South rice modules therefore marks an important milestone in broadening the opportunities for agriculture producers to participate in carbon markets, incentivizing adoption of voluntary emissions reduction practices.

“Consistent with our parent Winrock’s commitment to sustainable agriculture, one of ACR’s primary objectives is to advance innovative approaches to support low emissions practices in agriculture by strengthening the scientific and market infrastructure for agricultural GHG mitigation,” said John Kadyszewski, ACR director. “We are excited to announce approval of the Mid-South modules and to see projects come to market in both California as well as in Arkansas, Winrock’s home state and the country’s leading rice producer.”

Under the methodology, 3.4 million acres are eligible to generate carbon offset credits throughout the Mid-South and California. Arkansas accounts for 1.8 million eligible acres. Other Mid-South states including Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Texas account for an additional 1.3 million eligible acres. ACR estimates the potential emissions reductions resulting from implementing the practice changes in the new methodology to be significant – over one million tons in the next ten years.

In the voluntary market, agriculture-based carbon offsets, such as those created from rice management practices, can be sold to corporations to meet their internal sustainability goals, reduce their carbon footprints and to green their supply chains. Agriculture offsets are also being considered by California regulators for eligibility in the state’s new regulated market, where GHG emitters like power plants and oil refineries are mandated to reduce emissions. The regulation allows these entities to use ARB approved offset credits for up to 8 percent of their emissions – over 200 million metric tons through 2020.

The California Air Resources Board (ARB) is developing a compliance offset protocol based on the ACR rice methodology, and board vote is expected in September. If approved, the methodology will enable GHG emission offsets created by rice producers throughout the U.S. to be sold to regulated entities with mandatory emission reduction obligations under the California cap-and-trade program. Most importantly, the adoption by ARB of the first crop-based agriculture sector offset methodology opens the door to consideration of additional agriculture offset opportunities for the California market.

“We are very excited about ACR’s newly approved methodology, which will allow us to demonstrate practical approaches to delivering emission reductions from rice production in Arkansas, the country’s leading rice producer,” said Dennis Carman, executive director of White River Irrigation District. “Our rice growers strive to improve yields, increase competitiveness and enhance waterfowl habitat. It’s a win-win if producers can achieve all of those things while reducing GHG emissions and increasing revenues.”

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About the American Carbon Registry

The nonprofit American Carbon Registry (ACR), an enterprise of Winrock International, is a leading carbon offset program recognized for its high standards for environmental integrity. Founded in 1996 as the first voluntary GHG registry in the world, ACR has over 18 years of unparalleled voluntary carbon market experience in the development of rigorous, science-based offset methodologies and operational experience in the oversight of offset project verification, registration, offset issuance and retirement reporting. In addition to its voluntary carbon market activities, ACR is an approved Offset Project Registry and Early Action Offset Program for the California Cap-and-Trade Program. In this role, ACR works with the state regulatory agency to oversee the registration and issuance of Offset Credits, which can be converted to compliance credits and used by California entities to help meet their emissions reductions obligations. ACR has issued 40 million tons of emissions reduction credits and continues to lead voluntary carbon market innovation.

Contact: Mary Grady American Carbon Registry 805 884 1961  mgrady@winrock.org