New EPA Web site Tracks Biggest U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emitters

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has unveiled an interactive Web site that allows users to track the biggest emitters of greenhouse gases in their states. The Greenhouse Gas Emissions Data project, which is based on 2010 data from more than 6,700 facilities nationwide, can be used to sort through data by facility, location, sector, and emissions type. The online tool was modeled on the EPA’s toxins release inventory map, which enables users to monitor which toxic chemicals are located within their communities at the zip code level. According to the database, carbon dioxide emissions accounted for about 95 percent of greenhouse gas emissions among large emitters, followed by methane (4 percent). The nation’s top three emitters, located in Georgia and Alabama, are owned by Atlanta-based Southern Co., with the rest of the top 10 located across the Midwestern and Southern states.