CPRG Tools and Technical Assistance - Greenhouse Gas Inventory

EPA provides multiple resources that can be used to help develop GHG emissions inventories at the state, tribal and municipal level.  Many of these datasets and tools provide criteria and hazardous air pollution emissions estimates as well. Some states have already used these tools in developing existing climate action plans. Resources include existing EPA GHG inventories that have already been compiled as well as EPA tools that can be used to develop GHG inventories for one or more specific sectors.

Existing Inventories and GHG Data

EPA recognizes that a number of states have compiled or are developing their own state-level GHG inventories on a regular or periodic basis. Learn more about Official State Greenhouse Gas Inventories 

States may wish to use EPA state-level and other inventory data directly or as a data resource when developing their state inventory.

• Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks by State

EPA publishes state greenhouse gas (GHG) data consistent with the National Inventory, meaning state GHG totals, when summed, equal national totals in the Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks. This complementary state data is published annually after publication of the national Inventory report. This data includes state-level inventories by gas, IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) sector, and economic sector over time. IPCC sectors include Energy, Industrial Processes and Product Use, Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use, and Waste. The latest data covers 1990-2020.

• National Emissions Inventory

EPA's National Emissions Inventory (NEI) is a county-, facility-, process-level emissions inventory of Criteria Air Pollutants (CAPs) and Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs). In addition to including CAPs and HAPs, the NEI also maintains GHG emissions data at the county- and facility-level for many sources, including mobile sources and large stationary sources. Mobile source emissions, both on- and off-highway, are generated using EPA’s MOVES model and other methods for locomotives, commercial marine vessels, and aircraft. These mobile source inventories are informed by local data that are provided by State, Local, and Tribal agencies and developed by EPA. Large stationary source, facility-level GHG emissions come from the U.S. EPA’s GHGRP or direct state, locality, or tribal GHG submissions to the NEI. EPA notes that the NEI estimates emissions for entities that do not submit their own inventories and can provide these inventories to states, territories, municipalities, and tribes.

• Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program  

The U.S. Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (GHGRP) requires reporting of greenhouse gas (GHG) data and other relevant information from large GHG emission sources, fuel and industrial gas suppliers, and CO₂ injection sites in the United States. Approximately 8,000 facilities are required to report their emissions annually, and the reported data are made available to the public in October of each year.

GHGRP facility-level data is searchable and exportable at the state and county level using the Facility Level Information on Greenhouse Gases Tool (FLIGHT). FLIGHT is an interactive website with mapping features to identify GHGRP facilities by location, name, industry type, and other criteria. FLIGHT can also generate and download customized graphics (pie charts, trend lines, etc.) and facility lists.

Comprehensive Inventory Tools

• State Inventory and Projection Tool

EPA's State Inventory and Projection Tool is a customizable spreadsheet model designed to help states develop greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventories. The tool has two components: the state inventory tool which calculates emissions and sinks by economic sector and gas (1990-2020) and the projection tool (2021-2050).

• Local Greenhouse Gas Inventory Tool

EPA’s Local Greenhouse Gas Inventory Tool is an customizable spreadsheet tool that helps municipalities across the United States to evaluate their greenhouse gas emissions. The tool can compile a greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory for an entire community or for local government operations.

• Tribal Greenhouse Gas Inventory Tool

EPA’s Tribal Greenhouse Gas Inventory Tool is a customizable spreadsheet tool that helps tribes across the United States to evaluate their greenhouse gas emissions. The tool can assist the user compile a greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory for an entire community or for tribal government operations.

Sector-Specific Inventory Tools

The tools listed below are a sampling of some sector-specific tools. EPA will continue to update this webpage with additional resources and tools as they become available.

Transportation Sector

• MOVES

EPA’s MOtor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES) is a state-of-the-science emission modeling system that can be used to estimate current and future emissions for mobile sources at the national, county, and project level for greenhouse gases, criteria air pollutants, and air toxics.  MOVES can also estimate energy consumption.  MOVES estimates emissions from the transportation sector for onroad mobile sources (i.e., onroad vehicles such as cars, trucks, and buses) and from most nonroad emissions sources as well (with the exceptions of locomotives, marine vessels, and aircraft).  MOVES can be used to estimate inventories for states, territories, municipalities, air pollution control agencies, and tribes.

• • EPA’s MOVES website – download MOVES and find documentation
  • EPA’s guidance for using MOVES to estimate state and local inventories of GHG emissions
  • EPA’s in-depth technical guidance for using MOVES
  • EPA’s MOVES training resources
     
• Port Emissions Inventory Guidance

EPA’s Port Emissions Inventory Guidance provides methodologies for developing port-related and goods movement emissions inventories of GHG emissions, criteria air pollutants, mobile source air toxics, and energy consumption.  This document describes the latest, state of the science methods for preparing an emissions inventory for the various sources of emissions at a port or other goods movement facility, including ocean-going vessels, harbor craft, recreational marine vehicles, cargo handling equipment, onroad vehicles, and rail. 

Waste Sector

• WAste Reduction Model (WARM)

EPA’s WARM is a tool that estimates the potential GHG emissions, energy savings and economic impacts of baseline and alternative waste management practices, including source reduction, recycling, combustion, composting, anaerobic digestion, and landfilling. The model calculates emissions, energy units and economic factors across a wide range of material types commonly found in municipal solid waste.