New York State has finalized regulations requiring large emitters to disclose their greenhouse gas emissions beginning in 2027, reinforcing state-level climate oversight as federal transparency initiatives are scaled back. Announced by the Department of Environmental Conservation, the new rules establish a mandatory reporting framework for carbon-intensive sectors, giving state regulators a comprehensive emissions dataset to guide policy, enforcement, and investment decisions.
The regulation follows a directive issued earlier this year by Governor Kathy Hochul to advance a Mandatory Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program. It comes as federal agencies under the Trump administration have moved to retreat from climate disclosure, including steps by the Environmental Protection Agency to end its Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program and by the Securities and Exchange Commission to halt implementation of its climate reporting rules.
A State Backstop for Emissions Transparency
The New York mandatory GHG reporting program positions the state as a regulatory backstop at a moment of widening divergence between federal and state climate policy. Commissioner Amanda Lefton said the rules are designed to ensure New York retains the ability to track emissions and target action even as federal programs are rolled back.
“The Reporting Rule will enable DEC to collect the information necessary, despite proposed rollbacks on the federal level, and develop effective strategies that reduce harmful air pollution and direct investments where they are most needed,” Lefton said.
Under the regulation, covered entities must submit annual emissions data to DEC starting in June 2027, reflecting the previous year’s emissions. Some of the largest sources will also be required to verify their data through DEC-accredited third-party verification services, adding an additional layer of assurance to the reporting system.
Broad Coverage Across Carbon-Intensive Sectors
The rules apply to a wide range of facilities and supply-chain actors emitting at least 10,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent annually. Covered entities include electricity generation facilities, stationary combustion sources, landfills, waste-to-energy plants, and natural gas compressor stations, as well as fuel suppliers spanning natural gas, petroleum products, liquefied and compressed natural gas, and coal.
The reporting obligation also extends to waste haulers and transporters whose operations generate emissions above the threshold when waste is sent to facilities outside New York, electric power entities, suppliers of agricultural lime and fertilizer, and facilities engaged in anaerobic digestion or liquid waste storage where emissions exceed the threshold.
By capturing emissions across production, transport, and waste streams, the program is intended to provide a more complete picture of the state’s emissions profile than facility-only reporting.
From Draft Rule to Final Regulation
DEC released draft regulations in March 2025 and received more than 3,000 public comments during the consultation period. The finalized rule incorporates adjustments in response to that feedback, including extending verification reporting deadlines for the first two years and reducing reporting requirements for facilities that have closed or ceased operations.
Lefton emphasized the role of emissions data in linking climate policy with public health outcomes. “DEC’s greenhouse gas emissions reporting program and subsequent data collection is critical to the State’s ongoing efforts to protect our environment and improve the health and quality of life of all New Yorkers,” she said.
Implications Beyond New York
New York’s move adds to a growing patchwork of U.S. state-level climate disclosure regimes, alongside similar efforts in California, at a time when federal standards remain uncertain. For companies operating across jurisdictions, the rules introduce another layer of compliance alongside international reporting frameworks and investor disclosure expectations.
For policymakers and regulators, the program underscores the increasing role of subnational governments in sustaining climate governance and emissions transparency. As federal leadership recedes, New York’s approach illustrates how states are stepping in to preserve the data infrastructure needed to design and enforce climate policy.
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