Cap-and-Invest third-party emissions verification

The process of third-party verification takes several months, so we recommend that reporters contact a Washington-certified verification body as soon as possible. At the start of the verification process, reporters will need to submit documentation to us declaring the third-party verification contract and certifying there are no conflicts of interest.

These declaration forms are in development and will be available through the GHGReg website once finalized. Once these forms are available, reporters will be able to submit them through the same GHGReg platform that is used to submit annual emissions reports.

It's important to note that reporters can't use the same verification body for more than six consecutive years, and must wait at least three years before contracting with a previous verification body again.

Refer to the approved verifier tab above to find a list of Washington-certified verifiers and verification bodies.

A verification team consists of a lead verifier, supporting verifiers, and may include a sector specialist.

Full verification will require a site visit and interviews with key personnel, so reporters should work with their verifiers to ensure compliance.

After reviewing emissions reports, verifiers may submit a list of correctable errors. These issues must be resolved and a corrected report submitted by the deadline to receive a positive verification statement.

Verifiers will treat all data as confidential business information. However, they cannot provide advice. Reporters should contact GHGReporting@ecy.wa.gov with any questions about third-party verification requirements or process.

Verifiers may ask for other types of information, but being able to provide the following documentation can help the verification process go smoothly:

• Greenhouse gas monitoring and reporting plan – Verifiers will ask for documentation of overall procedures as well as details about:
  • Process and methods to collect emissions data
  • Quality assurance, maintenance, calibration and repair of instruments used to provide reported data
  • Raw data used to calculate emissions
• Records pertaining to emissions calculations, including:
  • Documentation of fuel and electricity transactions
  • Documentation of instrument maintenance
  • Greenhouse gas collection data
  • Previous emissions reports and supporting documentation
    • Your verifier will have access to all reports submitted to us via the WEDGE application
  • Note: it's required that reporters retain this information for at least 10 years.