The Local Government Operations Protocol is a sector-specific protocol that provides the policy framework, calculation methodologies, and reporting guidance for quantifying GHG emissions from local government operations. It was developed in partnership with the California Air Resources Board, ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, and The Climate Registry in order to create harmonization between GHG inventories developed by our members and reporters, to promote the important role that local governments can play in combating global climate change, and to advance the consistent, comparable and relevant quantification of GHG emissions by local governments.
Version 1.1
The partners have released a revised version of the protocol in order to update emission factors and improve quantification guidance. Local government members of the California Registry should use the LGO Protocol Version 1.1 and the Standard Inventory Report Version 1.0 when calculating and reporting their emissions.
- Local Government Operations (LGO) Protocol Version 1.1 (May 2010)
- LGO Protocol Summary of Changes from Version 1.0 to 1.1 (May 2010)
- Local Government Operations Standard Inventory Report (Version 1.1)
- Local Government Operations (LGO) Protocol Training (March 2009)
Version 1.0
This protocol was first adopted by the California Registry Board in August 2008, by the ICLEI Board and the California Air Resources Board in September 2008, and by The Climate Registry Board in June 2009. The archived reporting protocol and supplemental documents are available below.
- Local Government Operations (LGO) Protocol (Version 1.0)
- California Air Resources Board Program-Specific Appendix (Version 1.0
- California Climate Action Registry Program-Specific Appendix (Version 1.0)
- ICLEI, Local Governments for Sustainability Program-Specific Appendix (Version 1.0)
- The Climate Registry Program-Specific Appendix (Version 1.1)
Protocol Development Process
The protocol was developed using the California Registry’s protocol development process – a key element of this process involves a multi-stakeholder technical workgroup, which supports our efforts by providing informed advice on GHG accounting and reporting matters specific to this sector. The stakeholders involved in this technical workgroup include local government staff, local government association representatives, state and federal agency personnel, non-governmental organizations, and expert consultants. A larger stakeholder advisory group was also convened to provide additional feedback to staff and the technical workgroup via public workshops and reviewing early drafts of the protocol. Three specialized subgroups were also formed to assist with the development of quantification for solid waste and wastewater facilities, and to help develop the standardized GHG reporting template included in the protocol.
Key Milestones
- March 2008 – Kick-off Public Workshop in Sacramento
- March through June 2008 – Workgroup, advisory group and subgroup meetings/conference calls
- May 2008 – Draft protocol to workgroup/advisory group for review and comment
- June 2008 – Revised protocol released for public review and comment
- July 2008 – Public Workshop in Sacramento
- August 2008 – California Registry Board adopts protocol
- September 2008 – ICLEI and California Air Resources Board adopt protocol
- June 2009 – The Climate Registry adopts protocol
We received over 40 sets of written comments during the 30-day public comment period. We greatly appreciate the questions, comments, and suggestions put forth during the comment period. In order to efficiently respond to the large number of comments, we consolidated and responded to all comments through a summary document available for download below. All of the individual public comments received are also accessible below.
Summary of Comments and Responses:
Responses to Draft LGO Protocol Comments (August 2008)
Individual Public Comments:
StopWaste et al. group comment submission from: StopWaste.org, San Francisco Department of the Environment, City of San Jose, County of Alameda General Services Agency, City of Santa Monica, City of Berkeley, and Californians Against Waste.
Workgroup & Subgroup Members
Workgroup:
| Ana Sandoval | Bay Area Air Quality Management District |
| Jen McGraw | Center for Neighborhood Technologies |
| Amelia Ravin | CDM |
| Melissa Capria | City and County of San Francisco |
| Linda Kermott | City of Carlsbad, CA |
| Brendan Reed | City of Chula Vista, CA |
| Gary Woloshyniuk | City of Edmonton, Alberta |
| Gerald Shechter | City of Kansas City, Missouri |
| Gretchen Hardison | City of Los Angeles, CA |
| Karl Van Orsdol | City of Palo Alto, CA |
| Mark Lowery | NY State Department of Environmental Conservation |
| Xantha Bruso | Pacific Gas & Electric Company |
| Renee Zollinger | Salt Lake City, UT |
| Jon Elam | Tamalpais Community Service District |
| Andrea Denny | United States Environmental Protection Agency |
| Sarah Rees | Washington Department of Ecology |
| David Rich | World Resources Institute |
Solid Waste Subgroup:
| Scott Smithline | Californians Against Waste |
| Nick Lapis | Californians Against Waste |
| Larry Hunsaker | California Air Resources Board |
| Derek Markolf | California Climate Action Registry |
| Scott Walker | California Integrated Waste Management Board |
| Stephanie Young | California Integrated Waste Management Board |
| Cynthia Hibbard | CDM |
| Marleen Leonce | City of Kansas City, MO |
| Kim Tran | City of Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation |
| Margarita Maria Parra | ICLEI |
| Frank Caponi | Los Angeles County Sanitation District |
| Debra Kaufman | StopWaste.org |
| Chuck White | Waste Management |
| Melissa Weitz | United States Environmental Protection Agency |
Wastewater Subgroup:
| Jim Sandoval | California Wastewater Climate Change Group |
| Renee Lawver | California Air Resources Board |
| Randy Schmidt | Central Contra Costa Sanitary District |
| Kim Tran | Los Angeles County Sanitation District |
| Glen Daigger | CH2MHILL |
| Patrick Griffith | Los Angeles County Sanitation District |
| Helen Hu |
Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District/ |
| Frank Caponi | Los Angeles County Sanitation District |
| Jon Elam | Tamalpais Community Service District, Mill Valley, CA |
Reporting Subgroup:
| Ana Sandoval | Bay Area Air Quality Management District |
| Abby Young | Bay Area Air Quality Management District |
| Jen McGraw | Center for Neighborhood Technology |
| Gretchen Hardison | City of Los Angeles, CA |
| Craig Tranby | City of Los Angeles, CA |
| Linda Kermott | City of Carlsbad, CA |
| Gary Woloshyniuk | City of Edmonton, AB, Canada |
| Renee Zollinger | Salt Lake City, UT |
| Andrea Denny | United States Environmental Protection Agency |
Partner Staff
| Rachel Tornek | California Climate Action Registry |
| Dana Papke | California Air Resources Board |
| Garrett Fitzgerald | ICLEI |
| Alex Ramel | ICLEI |
| Webster Tasat | California Air Resources Board |
| Heather Raven | California Climate Action Registry |
| Jim Yienger | ICLEI |
| Peggy Foran | The Climate Registry |