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CLEAN ENERGY ACT 2011 (NO. 131, 2011) - SECT 30 Covered emissions from the operation of a facility

CLEAN ENERGY ACT 2011 (NO. 131, 2011) - SECT 30

Covered emissions from the operation of a facility

             (1)  For the purposes of this Act, a covered emission from the operation of a facility is a scope 1 emission of greenhouse gas, where:

                     (a)  the greenhouse gas is released into the atmosphere as a direct result of the operation of the facility; and

                     (b)  the greenhouse gas is released in Australia; and

                     (c)  the Minister has, under subsection 10(3) of the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2007 , determined:

                              (i)  methods by which the amounts of the scope 1 emission are to be measured; or

                             (ii)  criteria for methods by which the amounts of the scope 1 emission are to be measured.

Exclusion of emissions from the combustion of certain fuels

             (2)  For the purposes of this Act, a covered emission from the operation of a facility does not include emissions attributable to the combustion of:

                     (a)  liquid petroleum fuel; or

                     (b)  liquid petroleum gas; or

                     (c)  liquefied natural gas; or

                     (d)  compressed natural gas;

that has been subject to:

                     (e)  any duty under the Customs Tariff Act 1995 ; or

                      (f)  any duty under the Excise Tariff Act 1921 .

             (3)  For the purposes of this Act, a covered emission from the operation of a facility does not include emissions attributable to the combustion of:

                     (a)  biomass; or

                     (b)  biofuel; or

                     (c)  biogas.

Exclusion of agricultural emissions

             (4)  For the purposes of this Act, a covered emission from the operation of a facility does not include any of the following emissions:

                     (a)  an emission of methane from the digestive tract of livestock;

                     (b)  an emission of:

                              (i)  methane; or

                             (ii)  nitrous oxide;

                            from the decomposition of:

                            (iii)  livestock urine; or

                            (iv)  livestock dung;

                     (c)  an emission of methane from:

                              (i)  rice fields; or

                             (ii)  rice plants;

                     (d)  an emission of:

                              (i)  methane; or

                             (ii)  nitrous oxide;

                            from the burning of:

                            (iii)  savannas; or

                            (iv)  grasslands;

                     (e)  an emission of:

                              (i)  methane; or

                             (ii)  nitrous oxide;

                            from the burning of:

                            (iii)  crop stubble in fields; or

                            (iv)  crop residues in fields; or

                             (v)  sugar cane before harvest;

                      (f)  an emission of:

                              (i)  carbon dioxide; or

                             (ii)  methane; or

                            (iii)  nitrous oxide;

                            from soil.

             (5)  Paragraph (4)(f) does not apply to an emission that is attributable to the operation of a landfill facility.

Exclusion of other emissions from land

             (6)  For the purposes of this Act, a covered emission from the operation of a facility does not include emissions:

                     (a)  that are attributable to changes in the levels of carbon sequestered in:

                              (i)  living biomass; or

                             (ii)  dead organic matter; or

                            (iii)  soil; and

                     (b)  that are also attributable to:

                              (i)  land use; or

                             (ii)  changes in land use (including land clearing); or

                            (iii)  forestry activities; and

                     (c)  that are not emissions to which subsection (4) applies.

             (7)  Subsection (6) does not apply to an emission that is attributable to the operation of a landfill facility.

Exclusion of fugitive emissions from decommissioned underground mines

             (8)  For the purposes of this Act, a covered emission from the operation of a facility does not include fugitive emissions from a decommissioned underground mine.

Exclusion of legacy emissions from landfill facilities

             (9)  For the purposes of this Act, a covered emission from the operation of a landfill facility does not include legacy emissions from the operation of the facility.

Exclusion of exempt landfill emissions from landfill facilities

          (9A)  For the purposes of this Act, a covered emission from the operation of a landfill facility does not include exempt landfill emissions from the operation of the facility.

Exclusion of emissions from closed landfill facilities

           (10)  If:

                     (a)  a landfill facility has not accepted any waste since the start of 1 July 2012; and

                     (b)  an amount of greenhouse gas is emitted from the operation of the facility;

the amount mentioned in paragraph (b), to the extent to which it is attributable to solid waste, is not a covered emission from the operation of the landfill facility.

Exclusion of emissions of certain synthetic greenhouse gases

           (11)  For the purposes of this Act, a covered emission from the operation of a facility does not include any of the following emissions:

                     (a)  an emission of a hydrofluorocarbon;

                     (b)  an emission of sulfur hexafluoride;

                     (c)  an emission of a perfluorocarbon.

           (12)  Paragraph (11)(c) does not apply to an emission that is attributable to aluminium production.