Greenhouse Gas Programs Compliance
Accredited Verification for your
Greenhouse Gas Inventory
We provide verification and validation audit services for California, Washington or Oregon Greenhouse Gas Programs. EcoCira performs accredited verification that is rigorous and aligned with requirements — no more, no less. We surface issues early, keep timelines on track, and provide clear communication throughout the process.
Assurance Review Process
- 1. Planning &
Scope - 2. Data
Collection - 3. Testing &
Verification - 4. Site
Visit - 5. Findings &
Correction - 6. Final
Opinion - New Tab
Planning & Scope
The assurance reviewer meets with your team to understand operations, reporting boundaries, methodologies, and key data sources.
- Kick-off meeting to review boundaries, sources, and reporting methodologies
- Identification of high-risk emissions units
- Agreement on timelines, deliverables, and sampling approach
Data Collection
Expect requests for activity data, emission factors, calculations, internal controls, and prior-year reports.
- Assurance provider issues a document request list (activity data, meters, invoices, utility bills, models, etc.)
- Collection of calculation workbooks, emission factors, and supporting documentation
- Review of organizational controls, roles, and data management systems
Testing & Verification
Auditor teams trace reported values back to source documents, sample high-risk or high-emission categories, and check reasonableness.
- Recalculation of emissions data for selected high-risk categories
- Evaluation of internal controls for data accuracy and completeness
- Interviews with personnel involved in data collection and reporting
Site Visit
Assurance reviewers may make site visits, interviewing staff responsible for data entry, metering, procurement, and sustainability reporting.
- On-site meter checks, equipment verification, or activity data confirmation
- Walkthroughs of data systems and operational processes
- Live data pulls from database systems
- Photographic or logged evidence collection using CARB-style protocols
Findings & Correction
Assurance reviewers provide issues, discrepancies, and required corrections before issuing an assurance opinion.
- Issuance of preliminary log of issues to fix
- Opportunities to correct or clarify data before the final opinion
- Materiality thresholds applied depending on assurance level
Final Opinion
A formal report is issued stating whether disclosures are free from material misstatement under the chosen standard.
- Summary of testing performed and confidence level
- Documentation suitable for EPA and CARB public reporting
California GHG Reporting
The California Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program requires large facilities, fuel suppliers, and entities emitting over 25,000 MT of CO2e annually to report their emissions to the California Air Resources Board (CARB).
Established under Assembly Bill 32, the program provides the foundation for California’s cap-and-trade system and other climate policies by ensuring accurate, consistent, and verifiable emissions data. Reported information is subject to third-party verification to maintain transparency and support the state’s efforts to track progress toward its climate goals.
Oregon GHG Reporting
Oregon’s Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program, overseen by the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), requires regulated entities such as large facilities, fuel suppliers, and utilities to submit annual emissions reports.
Entities that emit 25,000 metric tons of CO₂e or more must obtain third-party verification to confirm the accuracy of their data. By collecting and validating this information, Oregon builds a consistent record of statewide emissions, which helps track progress toward its climate commitments and informs future policy decisions.
Washington GHG Reporting
Washington’s Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program, administered by the Department of Ecology, requires facilities, fuel suppliers, and other covered entities to annually report their GHG emissions. The program establishes a consistent framework for tracking statewide emissions and supporting Washington’s climate policies, including its cap-and-invest program.
Entities that exceed reporting thresholds of 25,000 MT CO2e must have their emissions reports independently verified by an Ecology-accredited third-party verifier to ensure accuracy, completeness, and compliance. This verification process provides transparency and reliability, strengthening the integrity of the state’s climate initiatives.