Survey shows 58% of polled companies have no emissions-measuring plan

A recent survey of 143 energy and utility professionals indicates 58% have no system to record carbon emissions. That's a slight improvement from 61% who responded the same way during 2010, reports Enviance Inc., a software provider for management of environmental, health, and safety compliance activities.

Lawrence Goldenhersh, Enviance president and chief executive officer, said his company commissioned the survey for two consecutive years as a way to track changes about how companies handle their environmental and regulatory concerns.

When asked about monitoring the US Environmental Protection Agency, 84% of those polled said they monitor changing EPA rules “as they happen.” Goldenhersh said this demonstrates a clear corporate commitment to stay ahead of EPA changing regulations.

“It will be interesting to see whether the advent of cap and trade in California in 2012...will alter what companies consider necessary to meet the analysis and reporting requirements imposed by the SEC,” Goldenhersh said of the US Securities and Exchange Commission.

California’s AB32 legislation will implement a price on carbon starting in 2012 (OGJ Online, Nov. 3, 2010).

Enviance, a privately owned company n Carlsbad, Calif., reported its survey results during the EUEC conference in Phoenix. EUEC is an annual energy, utility, and environment conference involving environmental business leaders, energy executives, and government policymakers.