Will you be compliant in 2023?

New GHGMR Rules In Effect

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) has recently issued new rules, which include greenhouse gas monitoring and reporting (GHGMR) requirements. The NJDEP issued an email blast to affected facilities (or at least those they felt were affected), but it is becoming apparent that not all facilities are aware of these new requirements. Read on to learn more.

If you have not yet determined if this new rule applies to your facility, you may already be behind. The registration deadline for applicable facilities was 11/1/22.  GSE is currently working closely with our existing clients to facilitate the process, and we’re happy to answer any questions you may have. Here’s just a snapshot: 

The new GHGMR rule is applicable to a facility if it has one or more refrigeration systems and/or chillers that have a full charge greater than or equal to 50 pounds of a high-GWP refrigerant. More details can be found on the DEP Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions webpage. The list of high-GWP refrigerants is also accessible through this link.

In general, the new GHGMR rule requires a facility to (1) register by 11/1/22 (the NJDEP extended this deadline due to issues on their end), (2) start keeping records as specified in the rule (equipment inventory & details, the weight of full charge, system services & repairs along with the amount of refrigerant used, etc.) beginning 10/1/22, and (3) start reporting refrigerant usage to the NJDEP on 4/1/2023 (first report will cover 10/1 through 12/31/22 and subsequent reports would be for the entire calendar year).

The registration process is simple, but determining if the rule is applicable to your facility and setting up a recordkeeping program can be an effort. If you have not already done so, you should review the list of high-GWP refrigerants. If you use any, you should gather the specs for each refrigeration system and/or chiller to determine the weight of a full charge. If it is equal to or greater than 50 pounds, register your facility immediately and keep records of any system services & repairs along with the amount of refrigerant used dating back to 10/1/22. The required recordkeeping can then be formulated and will be used to generate the first report due on 4/1/2023.