Flowers bloom across the street from an oil
refinery smoke stack in Port Arthur, Texas
AP Photo/LM Otero, file

From January 1, 2010 suppliers of fossils fuels or industrial greenhouse gases, manufacturers of vehicles and engines, and facilities that emit 25,000 metric tons or more of greenhouse gas emissions are required to submit annual emissions data to the Environmental Protection Agency.

EPA says the new reporting system will provide a better understanding of where GHGs are coming from and will guide development of best possible policies and programs to reduce emissions.

The gases covered by the rule are carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydroflourcarbons, perfluorcarbons, sulfur hexafluoride, and other fluorinated gases including nitrogen trifluoride, and hydrofluorianted ethers.