Federal Citations to the Social Cost of Greenhouse Gases

Federal Citations to the Social Cost of Greenhouse Gases

Federal Citations to the Social Cost of Greenhouse Gases

March 21, 2017 (R44657)

Introduction

Executive Order 12866 requires that federal agencies assess the cost and the benefits of intended regulations as part of their regulatory impact analyses (RIAs). The 1993 executive order stated that "recognizing that some costs and benefits are difficult to quantify, [each agency shall] propose or adopt a regulation only upon a reasoned determination that the benefits of the intended regulation justify its costs."¹ In 2008, a federal appeals court remanded a rule in part because, despite acknowledging the uncertainty, the agency did not monetize climate-related benefits of anticipated emission reductions in its RIA.² In response, in 2008, federal agencies began using various values of the social cost of carbon (SCC or SC-CO₂) as a means to estimate the climate-related benefits of abating emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂). Since then, they have begun using similar estimates for the benefits of reducing emissions of other greenhouse gases (GHG), including methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O).

The SC-CO₂ is an "estimate of the monetized damages associated with an incremental increase in carbon emissions in a given year," according to a federal Interagency Working Group (IWG).³ This group⁴ developed a range of SC-CO₂ values "to make it possible for agencies to incorporate the social benefits from reducing carbon dioxide emissions into cost-benefit analyses of regulatory actions that have small, or 'marginal,' impacts on cumulative global emissions."⁵ In the United States, the SC-CO₂ has been expressed as U.S. dollars per metric ton of carbon dioxide ($/t CO₂) for a given year's emissions. Agencies primarily used their own, differing SC-CO₂ values until the IWG recommended in 2009 a set of values to improve consistency across regulations. Estimations of the social cost of methane (SC-CH₄) and the social cost of nitrous oxide (SC-N₂O) have used methods similar to those for the SC-CO₂. Federal agencies began using the SC-CO₂ in regulatory actions in 2008, the SC-CH₄ in 2015, and SC-N₂O in 2016. Since August 2016, federal agencies collectively call these analyses and applications the social cost of greenhouse gases (SC-GHG).

This report compiles a table of Federal Register notices of 160 federal regulatory actions that specifically cite the SC-CO₂, SC-CH₄, SC-N₂O, or SC-GHG. The actions listed in Table 1 were identified by searches online of the Federal Register⁶ for the terms "social cost of carbon," "social cost of methane," "social cost of nitrous oxide," and "social cost." The table below reflects searches completed by March 20, 2017. Table 1 first lists the actions that used the SC-CO₂ estimate and then the actions citing other SC-GHG estimates. The table includes proposed, final, and additional actions, sometimes for the same rule (so a simple count of entries in the table would double-count the number of regulations with benefits calculated using the SC-GHG estimates). All non-regulatory notices are omitted, including notices of funding availability for grant programs. One column identifies which version of the SC-CO₂, SC-CH₄, or SC-N₂O was cited in each regulatory action. In this report, CRS does not analyze the social cost values or methods used in the cited agency actions. In addition, this report does not review or analyze the listed actions.

Table 1. U.S. Federal Regulatory Actions Referring to the Social Cost of Carbon, the Social Cost of Methane, or the Social Cost of Nitrous Oxide

Date

Agency

Regulatory or Related Action

Action

Version of Estimate Useda b

SOCIAL COST OF CARBON ACTIONS

04/07/08

DOE

proposed

Energy Conservation Program (ECP)c for Commercial and Industrial Equipment: Packaged Terminal Air Conditioner and Packaged Terminal Heat Pump Energy Conservation Standards. 73 FR 18858.

IPCC 2007

05/02/08

DOT

proposed

Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards, Passenger Cars and Light Trucks; Model Years 2011-2015. 73 FR 24352.

own

07/30/08

EPA

advance notice

Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for Regulating Greenhouse Gas Emissions Under the Clean Air Act. 73 FR 44354.

none

08/25/08

DOE

proposed

Commercial Ice-Cream Freezers; Self-Contained Commercial Refrigerators, Commercial Freezers, and Commercial Refrigerator- Freezers Without Doors; and Remote Condensing Commercial Refrigerators, Commercial Freezers, and Commercial Refrigerator- Freezers. 73 FR 50072.

IPCC 2007

10/07/08

DOE

final

ECPb for Commercial and Industrial Equipment: Packaged Terminal Air Conditioner and Packaged Terminal Heat Pump Energy Conservation Standards. 73 FR 58772.

IPCC 2007

10/17/08

DOE

proposed

ECP: Energy Conservation Standards (ESC) for Commercial Ice-Cream Freezers; Self-Contained Commercial Refrigerators, Commercial Freezers, and Commercial Refrigerator- Freezers Without Doors; and Remote Condensing Commercial Refrigerators, Commercial Freezers, and Commercial Refrigerator- Freezers. 73 FR 44354.

none

7/30/08

EPA & DOT

advance notice

Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, Regulating Greenhouse Gas Emissions Under the Clean Air Act. FRL-8694-2.

own

01/09/09

DOE

final

ECS for Commercial Ice-Cream Freezers; Self-Contained Commercial Refrigerators, Commercial Freezers, and Commercial Refrigerator- Freezers Without Doors; and Remote Condensing Commercial Refrigerators, Commercial Freezers, and Commercial Refrigerator-Freezers. 74 FR 1092.

IPCC 2007 (corrects year of dollars)

03/30/09

DOT

final

Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards Passenger Cars and Light Trucks Model Year 2011. 74 FR 14196.

2009

04/08/09

DOE

final (amended)

Amends final rule ECSb for Certain Consumer Products (Dishwashers, Dehumidifiers, Microwave Ovens, and Electric and Gas Kitchen Ranges and Ovens) and for Certain Commercial and Industrial Equipment (Commercial Clothes Washers), and additional actions. 74 FR 16040. The Federal Register notice stated that DOE and other federal agencies were reviewing methodologies on the monetary value of reductions of CO₂ and other greenhouse gas emissions and would consider comments that are part of the public record on issues in this and other rulemakings. 74 FR 16040. (FR p. 16079).

own

04/13/09

DOE

proposed

ECS for General Service Fluorescent Lamps and Incandescent Reflector Lamps. 74 FR 16920.

own

05/26/09

DOE

proposed

ECS for General Service Fluorescent Lamps and Incandescent Reflector Lamps. 74 FR 24904.

own

05/26/09

EPA

proposed

Regulation of Fuels and Fuel Additives: Changes to Renewable Fuel Standard Program. 74 FR 24904.

own

05/29/09

DOE

proposed

ECS for Refrigerated Bottled or Canned Beverage Vending Machines. 74 FR 26020.

own

07/14/09

DOE

final

ECS and Test Procedures for General Service Fluorescent Lamps and Incandescent Reflector Lamps. 74 FR 34080.

own

07/22/09

DOE

final

ECS Energy Conservation Standards and Test Procedures for Commercial Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Water-Heating Equipment. 74 FR 36312.

own

08/31/09

DOE

final

Refrigerated Bottled or Canned Beverage Vending Machines. 74 FR 44914.

own

09/25/09

DOT

proposed

Proposed Rule and Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for New Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards; Notice of Public Hearing. 74 FR 48894.

own

09/28/09

EPA & DOT

proposed

Light-Duty Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Emission Standards and Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards. 74 FR 49454. This action marks the first FR notice of the federal interagency working group's 2010 values for SC-CO₂. The rule uses joint EPA/DOT values for SC-CO₂.

own

11/09/09

DOE

proposed

ECS for Certain Consumer Products (Dishwashers, Dehumidifiers, Microwave Ovens, and Electric and Gas Kitchen Ranges and Ovens) and for Certain Commercial and Industrial Equipment (Commercial Clothes Washers). 74 FR 57738.

own

11/24/09

DOE

proposed

ECS for Small Electric Motors. 74 FR 61410.

2009

12/11/09

DOE

proposed

ECS for Residential Water Heaters, Direct Heating Equipment, and Pool Heaters. 74 FR 65852.

own

01/08/10

DOE

final

ECS for Certain Consumer Products (Dishwashers, Dehumidifiers, Microwave Ovens, and Electric and Gas Kitchen Ranges and Ovens) and for Certain Commercial and Industrial Equipment (Commercial Clothes Washers). 75 FR 1121.

own

03/09/10

DOE

final

ECS for Small Electric Motors. 75 FR 10874.

2009

03/26/10

EPA

final

Regulation of Fuels and Fuel Additives: Changes to Renewable Fuel Standard Program. 75 FR 14669.

2009

04/16/10

DOE

final

ECS for Residential Water Heaters. 75 FR 20112.

2010

05/07/10

EPA & DOT

final

Light Duty Vehicle GHG Emissions and Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards. 75 FR 25324. The notice states, "As part of the interagency group, EPA and NHTSA have critically evaluated the new SCC estimates and endorse them for use in these regulatory analyses, for the reasons presented below."

2010

05/01/10

DOT

final

Automatic Dependent Surveillance—Broadcast (ADS–B) Out Performance Requirements to Support Air Traffic Control Service. 75 FR 30160.

2010

06/21/10

EPA

other

Hazardous and Solid Waste Management System; Identification and Listing of Special Wastes; Disposal of Coal Combustion Residuals from Electric Utilities. 75 FR 35127.

2009

08/02/10

EPA

proposed

Federal Implementation Plans to Reduce Interstate Transport of Fine Particulate Matter and Ozone. 75 FR 45210.

2010

09/27/10

DOE

proposed

ECS for Residential Refrigerators, Refrigerator-Freezers, and Freezers. 75 FR 59469.

2010

10/14/10

EPA

proposed

Standards of Performance for New Stationary Sources and Emission Guidelines for Existing Sources: Sewage Sludge Incineration Units. 75 FR 63260.

2010

11/30/10

EPA & DOT

proposed

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards and Fuel Efficiency Standards for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Engines and Vehicles. 75 FR 74151.

2010

12/08/10

EPA

proposed

2017 and Later Model Year Light-Duty Vehicle GHG Emissions and CAFE Standards: Supplemental Notice of Intent.

none

03/14/11

EPA

proposed

National Emission Standards for Mercury from Mercury Cell Chlor-Alkali Plants. 76 FR 13852.

2010

03/21/11

EPA

final

National Emission Standards for Industrial, Commercial, and Institutional Boilers and Process Heaters. 76 FR 15608.

2010

03/21/11

EPA

final

National Emission Standards for Industrial, Commercial, and Institutional Boilers and Process Heaters. 76 FR 15554.

2010

03/21/11

EPA

final

Standards of Performance for New Stationary Sources and Emission Guidelines for Existing Sources: Commercial and Industrial Solid Waste Incineration Units. 76 FR 15703.

2010

04/21/11

DOE

final and proposed

ECS for Residential Clothes Dryers and Room AC. 76 FR 22454.

2010

06/27/11

DOE

final and proposed

ECS for Residential Furnaces and Residential Central AC and Heat Pumps. 76 FR 37408.

2010

08/08/11

EPA

final

Interstate Transport of Fine PM and Ozone. 76 FR 48208.

2010

08/23/11

EPA

proposed

Oil and Natural Gas Sector: New Source Performance Standards and National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants Reviews. 76 FR 52737.

2010

09/15/11

EPA & DOT

final

GHG Emission Standards and Fuel Efficiency Standards for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles. 76 FR 57105.

2010

09/15/11

DOE

final

ECS for Residential Refrigerators. 76 FR 57516.

2010

11/14/11

DOE

final

ECS for Fluorescent Lamp Ballasts. 76 FR 70548.

2010

12/01/11

EPA & DOT

proposed

2017 and Later Model Year Light Duty Vehicle GHG Emissions and Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards. 76 FR 74854.

2010

12/23/11

EPA

proposed

New Source Performance Standards: Commercial and Industrial Solid Waste Incineration Units. 76 FR 80452.

2010

01/17/12

DOE

proposed

ECS for Commercial Heating, AC, and Water Heating Equipment. 77 FR 2356.

2010

02/10/12

DOE

proposed

ECS for Distribution Transformers. 77 FR 7282.

2010

02/14/12

DOE

proposed

ECS for Standby Mode and Off Mode for Microwave Ovens. 77 FR 8526.

2010

02/16/12

EPA

final

National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants from Coal- and Oil-Fired Electric Utility Steam Generating Units and Standards of Performance for Fossil-Fuel-Fired Electric Utility, Industrial-Commercial-, Institutional, and Small Industrial-Commercial-Institutional Steam Generating Units. 77 FR 9303.

2010

03/27/12

DOE

proposed

ECS for Battery Chargers and External Power Supplies. 77 FR 18477.

2010

04/13/12

EPA

proposed

Standards of Performance for Greenhouse Gas Emissions for New Stationary Sources; Electric Utility Generating Units. 77 FR 22391.

2010

05/16/12

DOE

final

ECS for Certain Industrial Equipment: Energy Conservation Standards and Test Procedures for Commercial Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Water-Heating Equipment. 77 FR 28927.

2010

05/30/12

DOE

final

ECS for Certain Industrial Equipment: Energy Conservation Standards and Test Procedures for Commercial Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Water-Heating Equipment. 77 FR 28927.

2010

05/30/12

DOE

final

ECS for Residential Dishwashers. 77 FR 31917.

2010

05/31/12

DOE

proposed

ECS for Residential Clothes Washers. 77 FR 32381.

2010

05/31/12

DOE

final

Direct final rule ECS Residential Clothes Washers. 77 FR 32307.

2010

08/16/12

EPA

final

Oil and Natural Gas Sector: New Source Performance Standards and National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants Reviews. 77 FR 49489.

2010

09/12/12

EPA

lifted stay on final rule

EPA lifts stay on 2008 final rule Standards of Performance for Petroleum Refineries; Standards of Performance for Petroleum Refineries for Which Construction, Reconstruction, or Modification Commenced after May 14, 2007. 77 FR 56421.

2010

10/01/12

DOT

final (confirms)

Confirms final rule Energy Conservation Program: Energy Conservation Standards for Dishwashers. 77 FR 59712.

2010

10/15/12

EPA & DOT

final

2017 and Later Model Year Light-Duty Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards. 77 FR 62623.

2010

01/31/13

EPA

final

National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Major Sources: Industrial, Commercial, and Institutional Boilers and Process Heaters. 78 FR 7137.

2010

04/18/13

DOE

final

ECS for Distribution Transformers. 78 FR 23335.

2010

06/07/13

EPA

proposed

Effluent Limitation Guidelines and Standards for the Steam Electric Power Generating Point Source Category. 78 FR 34431.

2010

06/17/13

DOE

final

ECS for Standby Mode and Off Mode for Microwave Ovens. 78 FR 36315.

2013a

08/16/13

DOE

request for comments

Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products: Landmark Legal Foundation; Petition for Reconsideration.

none

08/20/13

DOE

proposed

ECS for Metal Halide Lamp Fixtures. 78 FR 51463.

2013a

09/11/13

DOE

proposed

ECS for Walk-In Coolers and Freezers. 78 FR 55889.

2013a

09/11/13

DOE

proposed

ECS for Commercial Refrigeration Equipment. 78 FR 55781.

2013a

10/25/13

DOE

proposed

ECS for Residential Furnace Fans. 78 FR 64067.

2013a

12/06/13

DOE

proposed

ECS for Commercial and Industrial Electric Motors. 78 FR 73589.

2013b

01/08/14

EPA

reproposed

Standards of Performance for Greenhouse Gas Emissions from New Stationary Sources: Electric Utility Generating Units. 79 FR 1429

2013b

02/10/14

DOE

final

ECS for Metal Halide Lamp Fixtures. 79 FR 7745.

2013b

02/10/14

DOE

final

ECS for External Power Supplies. 79 FR 7845.

2013b

03/04/14

DOE

proposed

ECS for Commercial Clothes Washers. 79 FR 12301.

2013b

03/17/14

DOE

proposed

ECS for Automatic Commercial Ice Makers. 79 FR 14845.

2013b

03/28/14

DOE

final

ECS for Commercial Refrigeration Equipment. 79 FR 17725.

2013b

04/15/14

HUD, USDA

notice of preliminary determination

Preliminary Affordability Determinations: Energy Efficiency Standards. 79 FR 21259.

2013b

04/29/14

DOE

proposed

ECS for General Service Fluorescent Lamps and Incandescent Reflector Lamps. 79 FR 24067.

2013b

05/29/14

DOE

final

ECS for Commercial and Industrial Electric Motors. 79 FR 30933.

2013b

06/03/14

DOE

final

ECS for Walk-In Coolers and Freezers. 79 FR 32049.

2013b

06/18/14

EPA

proposed

Carbon Pollution Emission Guidelines for Existing Stationary Sources: Electric Utility Generating Units. 79 FR 34829.

2013b

06/18/14

EPA

proposed

Carbon Pollution Standards for Modified and Reconstructed Stationary Sources: Electric Utility Generating Units. 79 FR 34959.

2013b

07/03/14

DOE

final

ECS for Residential Furnace Fans; Final Rule. 79 FR 38129.

2013b

08/15/14

EPA

final

National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System: Cooling Water Intake Structures at Existing Facilities and Phase I Facilities; Requirements. 79 FR 48299.

2013b

09/11/14

DOE

revised analysis

ECS for Automatic Commercial Ice Makers: Availability of Revised Rulemaking Analysis; Notice of Data Availability (NODA). 79 FR 54215.

2013b.

09/16/14

DOE

proposed

ECS for Packaged Terminal Air Conditioners and Packaged Terminal Heat Pumps; Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR). 79 FR 55537.

2013b

09/30/14

DOE

proposed

ECS for Small, Large, and Very Large Air-Cooled Commercial Package Air Conditioning and Heating Equipment. 79 FR 58947.

2013b

10/14/14

DOE

proposed

Fossil-Fuel-Generated Energy Consumption Reduction for New Federal Buildings and Major Renovations of Federal Buildings. 79 FR 61693.

2013b

11/04/14

EPA

proposed

Carbon Pollution Emission Guidelines for Existing Stationary Sources: EGUs in Indian Country and U.S. Territories; Multi-Jurisdictional Partnerships. 79 FR 65481.

2013b

12/15/14

DOE

final

ECS for Commercial Clothes Washers. 79 FR 74491.

2013b

12/19/14

DOE

proposed

ECS for Residential Dishwashers. 79 FR 76141.

2013b

12/30/14

DOE

proposed

ECP for Certain Industrial Equipment: ECS for Single Package Vertical Air Conditioners and Single Package Vertical Heat Pumps. 79 FR 78613.

2013b

01/08/15

DOE

proposed

ECP for Certain Industrial Equipment: ECS and Test Procedures for Commercial Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Water-Heating Equipment. 80 FR 1171.

2013b

01/26/15

DOE

final

ECS for General Service Fluorescent Lamps and Incandescent Reflector Lamps. 80 FR 4041.

2013b

01/28/15

DOE

final

ECS for Automatic Commercial Ice Makers. 80 FR 4645.

2013b

02/04/15

DOE

proposed

ECP for Certain Industrial Equipment: ECS for Commercial Warm Air Furnaces. 80 FR 6181.

2013b

02/09/15

DOE

proposed

ECP for Consumer Products: ECS for Hearth Products. 80 FR 7081.

2013b

03/12/15

DOE

proposed

ECP for Consumer Products: ECS for Residential Furnaces. 80 FR 13119.

2013b

03/16/15

EPA

proposed

Standards of Performance: New Residential Wood Heaters, New Residential Hydronic Heaters and Forced-Air Furnaces. 80 FR 13671.

2013b

03/31/15

DOE

proposed

ECS for Residential Boilers. 80 FR 17221.

2013b

04/02/15

DOE

proposed

ECS for Pumps. 80 FR 17825.

2013b

05/06/15

USDA, HUD

final

Final Affordability Determination Energy Efficiency Standards. 80 FR 25901.

2013b

05/21/15

DOT

proposed

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration: Draft Regulatory Impact Analysis for Plastic Pipe Rule. Posted in docket.

2013b

06/03/15

DOE

proposed

ECS for Residential Dehumidifiers. 80 FR 31645.

2013b

06/10/15

DOE

proposed

ECS for Residential Conventional Ovens. 80 FR 33029.

2013b

07/09/15

DOE

proposed

ECS for Commercial Prerinse Spray Valves. 80 FR 39485.

2013b

07/13/15

EPA

proposed

Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Fuel Efficiency Standards for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Engines and Vehicles-Phase 2. 80 FR 40137.

2013b

07/17/15

DOE

final

ECP for Certain Industrial Equipment: Energy Conservation Standards and Test Procedures for Commercial Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Water-Heating Equipment. 80 FR 42613.

2013b

07/21/15

DOE

final

ECS for Packaged Terminal Air Conditioners and Packaged Terminal Heat Pumps. 80 FR 43161.

2013b

07/27/15

DOI

proposed

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement. Stream Protection Rule. 80 FR 44435.

2013b

08/13/15

DOE

proposed

ECS for Ceiling Fan Light Kits. 80 FR 48623.

2013b

08/09/15

DOE

proposed

ECS for Refrigerated Bottled or Canned Beverage Vending Machines. 80 FR 50461.

2015

08/27/15

EPA

proposed

Emission Guidelines and Compliance Times for Municipal Solid Waste Landfills. 80 FR 52099.

2015

09/01/15

DOE

proposed

ECS for Battery Chargers. 80 FR 52849.

2015

09/23/15

DOE

final

ECS for Single Package Vertical Air Conditioners and Single Package Vertical Heat Pumps. 80 FR 57437.

2015

10/23/15

EPA

proposed

Federal Plan Requirements for Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Electric Utility Generating Units Constructed on or Before January 8, 2014; Model Trading Rules; Amendments to Framework Regulations. 80 FR 64965.

2015

10/23/15

EPA

final

Carbon Pollution Emission Guidelines for Existing Stationary Sources: Electric Utility Generating Units. 80 FR 64661.

2015

11/03/15

EPA

final

Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Standards for the Steam Electric Power Generating Point Source Category. 80 FR 67837.

2013b

11/20/15

FS

proposed

Roadless Area Conservation; National Forest System Lands in Colorado. 80 FR 72665.

2015

12/03/15

EPA

proposed

Cross-State Air Pollution Rule Update for the 2008 Ozone NAAQS. 80 FR 75705.

2015

01/06/16

DOE

final

ECS for Ceiling Fan Light Kits. 81 FR 579.

2015

01/08/16

DOE

final

ECS for Refrigerated Bottled or Canned Beverage Vending Machines. 81 FR 1027.

2015

01/13/16

DOE

proposed

ECS for Ceiling Fans. 81 FR 1687.

2015

01/15/16

DOE

final

ECS for Residential Boilers. 81 FR 2319.

2015

01/15/16

DOE

direct final

ECP for Certain Industrial Equipment: ECS for Small, Large, and Very Large Air-Cooled Commercial Package Air Conditioning and Heating Equipment and Commercial Warm Air Furnaces. 81 FR 2419.

2015

01/26/16

DOE

final

ECS for Pumps. 81 FR 4367.

2015

01/27/16

DOE

final

ECS for Commercial Prerinse Spray Valves. 81 FR 4747.

2015

02/09/16

FAA

proposed

Stage 5 Airplane Noise Standards. Cost-benefit analysis referenced in 81 FR 1923.

2015

03/07/16

FAA

proposed

Minimum Training Requirements for Entry-Level Commercial Motor Vehicle Operators.

2015

03/17/16

DOE

proposed

ECS for General Service Lamps. 81 FR 14527.

2015

03/24/16

DOE

proposed

ECS for Commercial Packaged Boilers. 81 FR 15835.

2015

05/19/16

DOE

proposed

ECS for Compressors. 81 FR 31679.

2015

05/31/16

DOE

proposed

ECS for Commercial Water Heating Equipment. 81 FR 34439.

2015

06/13/16

DOE

proposed

ECS for Portable Air Conditioners. 81 FR 38397.

2015

06/13/16

DOE

final

ECS for Battery Chargers. 81 FR 38265.

2015

06/13/16

DOE

final

ECS for Dehumidifiers. 81 FR 38337.

2015

06/17/16

DOE

proposed

ECS for Manufactured Housing. 81 FR 39755.

2015

07/13/16

EPA, NHTSA

final

Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Fuel Efficiency Standards for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Engines and Vehicles-Phase 2. 80 FR 40137.

GWP and 2015

08/05/16

DOE

proposed

ECS for Uninterruptible Power Supplies. 81 FR 52195.

2015

08/29/16

EPA

final

Standards of Performance for Municipal Solid Waste Landfills. 81 FR 59331.

2015

08/29/16

EPA

final

Emission Guidelines and Compliance Times for Municipal Solid Waste Landfills. 81 FR 59275.

2015

09/02/16

DOE

proposed

ECS for Residential Conventional Cooking Products. 81 FR 60783.

2015

09/13/16

DOE

proposed

ECS for Walk-In Cooler and Freezer Refrigeration Systems. 81 FR 62979.

2015

09/23/16

DOE

proposed

ECS for Residential Furnaces. 81 FR 65719.

2015

10/26/16

EPA

final

Cross-State Air Pollution Rule Update for the 2008 Ozone NAAQS. 81 FR 74504.

2015

10/28/16

DOE

final

ECS for Miscellaneous Refrigeration Products. 81 FR 75194.

2015

11/18/16

BLM

final

Waste Prevention, Production Subject to Royalties, and Resource Conservation.

2014

12/08/16

FMCSA

final

Minimum Training Requirements for Entry-Level Commercial Motor Vehicle Operators. 81 FR 88732.

2015

12/13/16

DOE

final

ECS for Residential Dishwashers. 81 FR 90072.

2015

12/19/16

FS

final

Roadless Area Conservation; National Forest System Lands in Colorado. 81 FR 91811.

2015

12/20/16

SMREO

final

Stream Protection Rule. 81 FR 93066.

2015

01/06/17

DOE

direct final

ECS for Residential Central Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps. 82 FR 1786.

2015

01/18/17

DOE

direct final

ECS for Dedicated-Purpose Pool Pumps. 82 FR 5650.

2015

01/18/17

DOE

final

ESC for Ceiling Fans. 82 FR 6826.

2015

SOCIAL COST OF METHANE ACTIONS

08/27/15

EPA

proposed

Emission Guidelines and Compliance Times for Municipal Solid Waste Landfills. 80 FR 52099.

2015

09/18/15

EPA

proposed

Oil and Natural Gas Sector: Emission Standards for New and Modified Sources. 80 FR 56593.

2015

02/08/16

BLM

proposed

Waste Prevention, Production Subject to Royalties, and Resource Conservation. 81 FR 6615.

2015

06/03/16

EPA

final

Oil and Natural Gas Sector: Emission Standards for New, Reconstructed, and Modified Sources. 81 FR 35823.

2015

06/13/16

EPA and NHTSA

final

Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Fuel Efficiency Standards for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Engines and Vehicles-Phase 2. 80 FR 40137. (Also listed for SC-CO₂ and SC-N₂O.)

GWP and 2015

08/29/16

EPA

final

Standards of Performance for Municipal Solid Waste Landfills. 81 FR 59331.

2015

08/29/16

EPA

final

Emission Guidelines and Compliance Times for Municipal Solid Waste Landfills. 81 FR 59275.

2015

09/13/16

DOE

proposed

ECS for Walk-In Cooler and Freezer Refrigeration Systems. 81 FR 62979. (Also listed for SC-CO₂ and SC-N₂O.)

2015

11/18/16

BLM

final

Waste Prevention, Production Subject to Royalties, and Resource Conservation.

2014

12/19/16

FS

final

Roadless Area Conservation; National Forest System Lands in Colorado. 81 FR 91811.

2015

01/18/17

DOE

direct final

ECS for Dedicated-Purpose Pool Pumps. 82 FR 5650.

2016

SOCIAL COST OF NITROUS OXIDE

10/15/12

EPA, NHTSA

final

2017 and Later Model Year Light-Duty Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards. 77 FR 62623.

Sensitivity analysis
onlyd

07/13/16

EPA, NHTSA

final

Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Fuel Efficiency Standards for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Engines and Vehicles-Phase 2. 80 FR 40137. (Also listed for SC-CO₂ and SC-CH₄.)

GWP and 2015

08/29/16

EPA

final

Emission Guidelines and Compliance Times for Municipal Solid Waste Landfills. 81 FR 59275.

2015

09/13/16

DOE

proposed

ECS for Walk-In Cooler and Freezer Refrigeration Systems. 81 FR 62979. (Also listed for SC-CO₂ and SC-CH₄.)

2015

10/28/16

DOE

final

ECS for Miscellaneous Refrigeration Products. 81 FR 75194. (Also listed for SC-CO₂ and SC-CH₄.)

2015

01/18/17

DOE

direct final

ECS for Dedicated-Purpose Pool Pumps. 82 FR 5650.

2016

Source: CRS, from searches in FederalRegister.gov. This table includes regulation-related actions only, not other federal actions, such as grant programs. It also does not include notices of comments received except when accompanied by the agency responses to comments.

Notes:

"GWP" means Global Warming Potential, an index that weights GHG according to an estimate of their effect on average temperature change relative to the same mass of carbon dioxide.

Abbreviations for offices, departments, and agencies are as follows:

BLM: Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management

CEQ: Executive Office of the President Council on Environmental Quality

DOE: Department of Energy

DOI: Department of the Interior

DOT: Department of Transportation

EPA: Environmental Protection Agency

FAA: Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration

FS: Department of Agriculture Forest Service

FMCSA: Department of Transportation, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

HUD: Department of Housing and Urban Development

NHTSA: Department of Transportation National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

OMB: Executive Office of the President Office of Management and Budget

SMREO: Department of the Interior, Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement Office

USDA: Department of Agriculture

a. "SCC" and "SC-CO₂" both mean Social Costs of Carbon. "SC-CH₄" means Social Costs of Methane. "SC-N₂O" means Social Costs of Nitrous Oxide.

b. Tables of the SC-CO₂ values from the 2010 to 2016 references for this column are in an Appendix to this report. This column provides the date and origin of the values of SC-CO₂ or SC-CH₄ referred to in the associated federal action. Versions formerly available on whitehouse.gov are no longer available there.

c. "None" means that, although the SC-CO₂ or SC-CH₄ may have been mentioned, no quantitative value appeared to be used in that action; some cited actions invite comment on the use of such values.

d. "IPCC" means SC-CO₂ values from the 2007 assessment of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC); "own" means values developed by an agency (sometimes in collaboration with another) and reported in that regulatory action;

e. "2009" means interim interagency values as published in Table III.H.6–3, p. 29617 of the joint EPA and DOT-NHTSA ''Proposed Rulemaking to Establish Light-Duty Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Emission Standards and Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards,'' 74 Federal Register 186, September 28, 2009; "2010" means agreed interagency values released in Interagency Working Group on Social Cost of Carbon, "Technical Support Document: Social Cost of Carbon for Regulatory Impact Analysis Under Executive Order 12866," February 2010;

f. "2013a" means updated values released in Interagency Working Group on Social Cost of Carbon, "Technical Support Document: Technical Update of the Social Cost of Carbon for Regulatory Impact Analysis Under Executive Order 12866," May 2013;

g. "2013b" means revised (corrected) values released in Interagency Working Group on Social Cost of Carbon, "Technical Support Document: Technical Update of the Social Cost of Carbon for Regulatory Impact Analysis Under Executive Order 12866," May 2013, revised November 2013.

h. "2015" means the July 2, 2015 revision to the Technical Update document.

i. The 2015 source for the SC-CH4 is A. L. Marten et al., "Incremental CH4 and N2O Mitigation Benefits Consistent with the U.S. Government's SC-CO2 Estimates," Climate Policy (2014, online publication; 2015, print publication); and Marten et al., "Corrigendum," Climate Policy, vol. 15, no. 5 (2015);

j. "2016" is the Interagency Working Group on Social Cost of Greenhouse Gases, "Addendum to Technical Support Document on Social Cost of Carbon for Regulatory Impact Analysis under Executive Order 12866: Application of the Methodology to Estimate the Social Cost of Methane and the Social Cost of Nitrous Oxide." August 2016.

k. "ECP" means Energy Conservation Program. "ECS" means Energy Conservation Standard(s).

l. The Federal Register notice described two methods to compute the social costs of non-CO₂ gases, a "GWP approach" and the "Marten approach." The proposed rule noted that EPA was undertaking peer review of the application of the Marten et al. (2014) non-CO₂ social cost estimates in regulatory analysis. Pending a favorable peer review, EPA planned to include estimated monetized benefits of CH₄ and N₂O emission reductions in the main benefit-cost analysis of the RIA for the final rule, using the directly modeled estimates of SC-CH₄ and SC-N₂O from Marten et al. The Federal Register notice sought comments on the use of the Marten approach for non-CO₂ GHG. It also noted that work was in progress to develop methods to calculate the social cost of tropospheric ozone on climate change, though none was applied for this proposal.

Appendix. Versions of the Social Cost of GHG Used in Federal Regulatory Actions, 2010 to 2015

Table A-1. Social Costs of Carbon Used Prior to Interagency Working Group

per metric ton of carbon dioxide

Source

Estimate(s) Used

Year of Dollars

Comments

IPCC 2007

0-14a

Treated as if 2007

Derived from mean of a literature review (Tol 2005), inflating year of dollars from 2000 to 2007 then discounting streams of estimated benefits to 2007 present values at 3% and 7%

NHTSA

7, growing at 2.4% per year of emissions

2011

Based also on Tol 2005, using it as an upper bound with 0 as a lower bound and using the midpoint of that range. Performed sensitivity analysis for 0 and 14.

EPA and NHTSA

0-11 for global benefits; 0.3-1.9 for domestic benefits

2006

Proposed rules states, "Given the current uncertainty regarding the social cost of carbon, Table VI-2 does not include a monetized value for the reduction in GHG emissions. We present here a number of different values and indicate what impact they would have on the net social benefits for our updated analysis. Presentation of these values does not represent, and should not be interpreted to represent, any determination by EPA as to what the social cost of carbon should be for purposes of calculating benefits pursuant to the Clean Air Act."

IPCC 2007

0-20

2007

In 2009, DOE corrected the year of dollars from that used in IPCC 2007 cited above. It used updated estimate in Tol 2007. See https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2009/01/09/E8-31449/energy-conservation-program-for-commercial-and-industrial-equipment-energy-conservation-standards.

Source: DOE, "Energy Conservation Program (ECP)c for Commercial and Industrial Equipment: Packaged Terminal Air Conditioner and Packaged Terminal Heat Pump Energy Conservation Standards," 73 Federal Register 18858, April 7, 2008; NHTSA, "Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards, Passenger Cars and Light Trucks; Model Years 2011-2015," 73 Federal Register 24352, May 2, 2008, https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2008/05/02/08-1186/average-fuel-economy-standards-passenger-cars-and-light-trucks-model-years-2011-2015; R. S. J. Tol, "The Social Cost of Carbon: Trends, Outliers, and Catastrophes," Research Unit Sustainability and Global Change, Working Paper FNU-144, Hamburg University, 2007.

Notes:

a. DOE reports, "The literature review (Tol 2005) from which this mean was derived did not report the year in which these dollars are denominated. However, since the underlying studies spanned several years on either side of 2000, the estimate is often treated as year 2000 dollars. Updating that estimate to 2007 dollars yields a SCC of $14 per ton of carbon dioxide."

Table A-2. 2010 Interagency Working Group on the Social Cost of Carbon

(2007 dollars per metric ton of CO₂)

Discount Rate

5% Average

3% Average

2.5% Average

3%
95th Percentile

2010

4.7

21.4

35.1

64.9

2015

5.7

23.8

38.4

72.8

2020

6.8

26.3

41.7

80.7

2025

8.2

29.6

45.9

90.4

2030

9.7

32.8

50.0

100.0

2035

11.2

36.0

54.2

109.7

2040

12.7

39.2

58.4

119.3

2045

14.2

42.1

61.7

127.8

2050

15.7

44.9

65.0

136.2

Table A-3. May 2013 Technical Update of the Social Cost of Carbon

Revised social cost of CO₂, 2010-2050 (in 2007 dollars per metric ton of CO₂)

Discount Rate:

5% Average

3% Average

2.5% Average

3%
95th Percentile

2010

11

33

52

90

2015

12

38

58

109

2020

12

43

65

129

2025

14

48

70

144

2030

16

52

76

159

2035

19

57

81

176

2040

21

62

87

192

2045

24

66

92

206

2050

27

71

99

221

Source: Interagency Working Group on Social Cost of Carbon, "Technical Support Document: Technical Update of the Social Cost of Carbon for Regulatory Impact Analysis Under Executive Order 12866," May 2013.

Table A-4. July 2015 Revision of the May 2013 Technical Update of the
Social Cost of Carbon

in 2007 dollars per metric ton of CO₂

Discount Rate

5.0% Average

3.0% Average

2.5% Average

3.0%
95th Percentile

2010

10

31

50

86

2015

11

36

56

105

2020

12

42

62

123

2025

14

46

68

138

2030

16

50

73

152

2035

18

55

78

168

2040

21

60

84

183

2045

23

64

89

197

2050

26

69

95

212

Source: Interagency Working Group on Social Cost of Carbon, "Technical Support Document: Technical Update of the Social Cost of Carbon for Regulatory Impact Analysis Under Executive Order 12866," May 2013, revised November 2013.

Table A-5. August 2016 Revision of the Social Cost of Carbon

in 2007 dollars per metric ton CO₂

Discount Rate:

5% Average

3% Average

2.5% Average

3%
95th percentile

2015

11

36

56

105

2020

12

42

62

123

2025

14

46

68

138

2030

16

50

73

152

2035

18

55

78

168

2040

21

60

84

183

2045

23

64

89

197

2050

26

69

95

212

Source: Interagency Working Group on Social Cost of Greenhouse Gases, "Technical Update of the Social Cost of Carbon for Regulatory Impact Analysis Under Executive Order 12866," May 2013, Revised August 2016.

Table A-6. 2015 Social Cost of Methane (SC-CH₄)

in 2007 dollars per metric ton of CH₄

Discount Rate

5.0% Average

3.0% Average

2.5% Average

3.0%
95th Percentile

2012

$430

$1,000

$1,400

$2,800

2015

490

1,100

1,500

3,000

2020

580

1,300

1,700

3,500

2025

700

1,500

1,900

4,000

2030

820

1,700

2,200

4,500

2035

970

1,900

2,500

5,300

2040

1,100

2,200

2,800

5,900

2045

1,300

2,500

3,000

6,600

2050

1,400

2,700

3,300

7,200

Source: A. L. Marten et al., "Incremental CH₄ and N₂O Mitigation Benefits Consistent with the U.S. Government's SC-CO₂ Estimates," Climate Policy (2014, online publication; 2015, print publication); and Marten et al., "Corrigendum," Climate Policy, vol. 15, no. 5 (2015).

Notes: The values are emissions-year specific. Estimates using several discount rates are included because the literature shows that estimates of the SC-CO₂ (and SC-CH₄) are sensitive to assumptions about the discount rate and because no consensus exists on the appropriate rate to use in an intergenerational context (where costs and benefits are incurred by different generations). The fourth value is the 95th percentile of the SC-CH₄ estimates across three models using a 3% discount rate. It is included to represent higher-than-expected impacts from temperature change further out in the tails of the SC-CH₄ distribution. Marten et al., adjusted the estimates in this table to reflect the 2015 minor technical corrections to the SC-CO₂ estimates.

Table A-7. August 2016 Social Cost of Methane (SC-CH₄)

in 2007 dollars per metric ton CH₄

Discount Rate:

5% Average

3% Average

2.5% Average

3%
95th percentile

2015

450

1,000

1,400

2,800

2020

540

1,200

1,600

3,200

2025

650

1,400

1,800

3,700

2030

760

1,600

2,000

4,200

2035

900

1,800

2,300

4,900

2040

1,000

2,000

2,600

5,500

2045

1,200

2,300

2,800

6,100

2050

1,300

2,500

3,100

6,700

Source: Interagency Working Group on Social Cost of Greenhouse Gases, "Addendum to the Technical Support Document for the Social Cost of Carbon: Application of the Methodology to Estimate the Social Cost of Methane and the Social Cost of Nitrous Oxide," August 2016.

Author Contact Information

[author name scrubbed], Specialist in Energy and Environmental Policy ([email address scrubbed], [phone number scrubbed])

Footnotes

1.

"Executive Order 12866 of September 30, 1993: Regulatory Planning and Review," 58 Federal Register 51735, October 4, 1993.

2.

Center for Biological Diversity v. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 538 F.3d 1172 (9th Cir. 2008).

3.

Interagency Working Group on Social Cost of Carbon, Technical Support Document: Technical Update of the Social Cost of Carbon for Regulatory Impact Analysis Under Executive Order 12866, Office of Management and Budget, May 2013, revision of July 2015, http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/assets/inforeg/technical-update-social-cost-of-carbon-for-regulator-impact-analysis.pdf. This document was revised and released again on July 2, 2015.

4.

The original IWG was comprised of officials from the Executive Office of the President (Council of Economic Advisers, Council on Environmental Quality, National Economic Council, Office of Energy and Climate Change, Office of Management and Budget, Office of Science, and Technology Policy), along with the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Energy, Transportation, and Treasury and the Environmental Protection Agency. After 2010, the Department of Agriculture gained participation as well.

5.

Ibid.

6.

Federalregister.gov.