For additional information, please visit the Cap-and-Trade Program section of the Air Resources Board (ARB) website.
Guidance on Early Action and Compliance Protocols
Guidance for Transitioning Early Action Forest Projects to the California Air Resources Board’s Compliance Offset Protocol (March 19, 2015)
Process for Transitioning Credits to ARBOCs (October 30, 2013)
Forest Project Guidance: Tree Height Estimation (May 13, 2013)
Comparisons Between Reserve and ARB Protocols
- Forest Projects
- Livestock Projects
- Coal Mine Methane/Mine Methane Capture Projects
- Ozone Depleting Substances Projects
- Urban Forest Projects
Calculation Tools
The Climate Action Reserve has created tools to assist account holders who are developing livestock and U.S. forest projects under the Compliance Offset Protocols. Use of these tools is optional, but only the most current version should be used for project quantification. Please note that these tools have not been officially sanctioned by the California Air Resources Board.
ARB FormsThe Air Resources Board (ARB) has developed forms for use in the Compliance Offset Program. These forms may be used by program participants for submitting information related to listing, reporting, verification and issuance of ARB offset credits. In addition to being listed below, the forms can also be found on ARB’s Compliance Offset Program Forms web page.ARB also has developed forms for Early Action Offset Projects. The forms can be found on ARB’s Compliance Offset Program Forms web page and must be submitted directly to ARB.Caution: Please make sure to submit a CITSS ID number and not a CITSS account number on all required forms. The CITSS ID number is two letters followed by four numbers (e.g., CA1234). To protect account information, you should not submit any CITSS account number, which is a longer number.
All Projects
| Tool | Description | COP |
| COP Tool Version 2011d (May 2014) COP Tool Version 2014b (April 2015) |
The Beta Livestock COP Tools assist with the quantification of modeled and metered emission reductions for compliance livestock projects. This tool is made available to Reserve account holders upon request. To receive a copy, please send an e-mail to [email protected]. In the body of the e-mail, please include the following information:
|
Compliance Offset Protocol – Livestock Projects (October 20, 2011 and November 14, 2014) |
| COP Monitoring Calculation Worksheet – Avoided Conversion (July 2015) COP Monitoring Calculation Worksheet – Improved Forest Management (July 2015) COP Monitoring Calculation Worksheet – Reforestation (July 2015) |
The COP Monitoring Calculation Worksheet is an Excel file designed to help OPO/APDs organize their data and facilitate verification over the span of the project’s crediting period. This tool is made available to Reserve account holders upon request. To receive a copy, please send an e-mail to [email protected]. In the body of the e-mail, please include the following information:
|
Compliance Offset Protocol – U.S. Forest Projects (October 20, 2011 and November 14, 2014) |
| COP Harvested Wood Products Worksheet (July 2015) | The Harvested Wood Products Worksheet is an Excel file that will process a compliance project’s harvest data, as well as calculate project carbon and assist in the calculation of baseline carbon from harvested wood products for each reporting period. This tool is designed to be used in conjunction with the Monitoring Calculation Worksheet and can be made available to Reserve account holders upon request. To receive a copy, please send an e-mail to [email protected]. In the body of the e-mail, please include the following information:
|
Compliance Offset Protocol – U.S. Forest Projects (October 20, 2011 and November 14, 2014) |
| Document | Description | Project / Account Phase | Privilege |
|---|---|---|---|
| Designation of Authorized Project Designee | Section 95974 of the Cap-and-Trade Regulation allows the Offset Project Operator to authorize another entity to act on its behalf. The Designation of Authorized Project Designee form can be used to grant this authorization. | General | Private |
| Evaluation of Conflict of Interest for Offset Projects | This form can be used to comply with the conflict of interest evaluation requirement and should be submitted to the Reserve prior to the commencement of offset verification activities. | Prior to Verification | Private |
| Notice of Offset Verification Services | This form can be used to comply with the Notice of Offset Verification Services requirement and should be submitted to both ARB and the Reserve at least 10 business days prior to the commencement of offset verification services. | Prior to Verification | Private |
| Offset Verification Statement | Per Section 95977.1(b)(3)(R) of the Cap-and-Trade Regulation, a verification body is required to issue an Offset Verification Statement for any Offset Project Data Report for which it has provided offset verification services. This form can be used to comply with this requirement. | Verification | Public |
Livestock Projects
| Document | Description | Required Phase | Privilege |
|---|---|---|---|
| Application for Listing a Livestock Offset Project | This form can be used to comply with the listing requirements for Livestock Offset Projects under the ARB Compliance Offset Program | Project Submittal | Public |
| Livestock Offset Project Data Report | This form can be used to comply with the Offset Data Report requirement for Livestock Offset Projects. | Verification | Public |
Mine Methane Capture Projects
| Document | Description | Required Phase | Privilege |
|---|---|---|---|
| Application for Listing an Mine Methane Capture Offset Project | This form can be used to comply with the listing requirements for Mine Methane Capture Offset Projects under the ARB Compliance Offset Program. | Project Submittal | Public |
| Mine Methane Capture Offset Project Data Report – Abandoned Underground Mines | This form can be used to comply with the Offset Data Report requirement for Mine Methane Capture Offset Projects. (Abandoned Underground Mines). | Verification | Public |
| Mine Methane Capture Offset Project Data Report – Active Surface Mines | This form can be used to comply with the Offset Data Report requirement for Mine Methane Capture Offset Projects (Active Surface Mines). | Verification | Public |
| Mine Methane Capture Offset Project Data Report – Active Underground Mines | This form can be used to comply with the Offset Data Report requirement for Mine Methane Capture Offset Projects (Active Underground Mines). | Verification | Public |
Ozone Depleting Substances Projects
| Document | Description | Required Phase | Privilege |
|---|---|---|---|
| Application for Listing an Ozone Depleting Substances Offset Project | This form can be used to comply with the listing requirements for Ozone Depleting Substances Offset Projects under the ARB Compliance Offset Program. | Project Submittal | Public |
| Ozone Depleting Substances Offset Project Data Report | This form can be used to comply with the Offset Project Data Report requirement for Ozone Depleting Substances Offset Projects. | Verification | Public |
U.S. Forest Projects
| Document | Description | Required Phase | Privilege |
|---|---|---|---|
| Application for Listing a U.S. Forest Offset Project – Avoided Conversion | This form can be used to comply with the listing requirements for U.S. Forest – Avoided Conversion Offset Projects under the ARB Compliance Offset Program. | Project Submittal | Public |
| Application for Listing a U.S. Forest Offset Project – Improved Forest Management | This form can be used to comply with the listing requirements for U.S. Forest – Improved Forest Management Offset Projects under the ARB Compliance Offset Program. | Project Submittal | Public |
| Application for Listing a U.S. Forest Offset Project – Reforestation | This form can be used to comply with the listing requirements for U.S. Forest – Reforestation Offset Projects under the ARB Compliance Offset Program. | Project Submittal | Public |
| U.S. Forest Offset Project – Avoided Conversion Project Data Report – Initial Reporting Period | This form can be used to comply with the Offset Project Data Report requirement for U.S. Forest – Avoided Conversion Offset Projects, for the initial reporting period. Subsequent reporting periods should use the general U.S. Forest Offset Project Data Report below. | Verification | Public |
| U.S. Forest Offset Project – Improved Forest Management Project Data Report – Initial Reporting Period | This form can be used to comply with the Offset Project Data Report requirement for U.S. Forest – Improved Forest Management Offset Projects, for the initial reporting period. Subsequent U.S. Forest project reporting periods should use the general U.S. Forest Offset Project Data Report below. | Verification | Public |
| U.S. Forest Offset Project – Reforestation Project Data Report – Initial Reporting Period | This form can be used to comply with the Offset Project Data Report requirement for U.S. Forest – Reforestation Offset Projects, for the initial reporting period. Subsequent U.S. Forest project reporting periods should use the general U.S. Forest Offset Project Data Report below. | Verification | Public |
| U.S. Forest Offset Project Data Report – Annual Reporting Period – All Project Types | This form can be used to comply with the Offset Data Report requirement for subsequent reporting periods. | Verification | Public |
Urban Forest Projects
| Document | Description | Required Phase | Privilege |
|---|---|---|---|
| Application for Listing an Urban Forest Offset Project | This form can be used to comply with the listing requirements for Urban Forest Offset Projects under the ARB Compliance Offset Program. | Project Submittal | Public |
| Urban Forest Offset Project Data Report – coming soon! | This form can be used to comply with the Offset Data Report requirement for Urban Forest projects. | Verification | Public |