Relating to duties of the department of natural resources related to air quality including reporting requirements, certifications, data gathering, and rules references

This bill relates to duties of the department of natural resources (DNR) related to air quality. Under current law, DNR is required to submit a report to the governor and general assembly yearly by December 31 regarding greenhouse gas emissions in the state during the previous calendar year. Pursuant to the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2008, the United States environmental protection agency (EPA) has started conducting annual statewide greenhouse gas inventories. These inventories cover the year prior to the previous year. The bill changes the time frame covered by the report to include emissions that occurred two calendar years prior to the current calendar year to align with EPA’s schedule and allows the EPA inventory, if completed, to fulfill the reporting requirement. 24. The bill removes specified rule references to conform to the Iowa administrative code change. The bill removes a provision requiring the environmental protection commission to adopt rules for the certification of solid waste incinerator operators. Under current law, DNR is required to create a greenhouse gas inventory by gathering data and reporting information from producers of greenhouse gases regarding their emissions and coordinate this data collection with EPA. Additionally, DNR is required to establish a voluntary greenhouse gas registry. The bill repeals these requirements. Federal regulations provide requirements for greenhouse gas reporting and a voluntary greenhouse gas registry.