This page last reviewed May 28, 2014 

# Compliance Offset Program

What's New? U.S. Forest Project FAQs Posted Technical Guidance for Offset Verifiers Early Action FAQs Posted Guidance for Verifying Forest Carbon Inventories Posted Ozone Depleting Substances Offset Protocol FAQs Posted Livestock Projects Compliance Offset Protocol FAQs Posted Offset Page for Potential New Compliance Offset Protocol Rice Cultivation Projects Offset Page for Potential New Compliance Offset Protocol Mine Methane Capture (MMC) Projects



## Quick Links:

ARB Offset Credits Issued (click for more information) Project Type ODS Livestock

Digester US

Forests Urban

Forests Compliance 1,343,588 - - 836,619 - - Early Action 3,673,445 306,890 2,618,389 - -

NOTICE: The California Air Resources Board (ARB) understand s that the Climate Action Reserve (Reserve) and the American Carbon Registry (ACR) ma y have issued various types of guidance, errata, and clarification (guidance) documents rela ted to the implementation of the voluntary protocol s 

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5/29/2014 http://www.arb.ca.gov/cc/capandtrade/offsets/offsets.htmunder the Reserve’s and ACR’s voluntary offset prog rams.

For early action quantification methodologies (appr oved Reserve protocols), guidance issued by the Reserve or ACR prior to October 20, 2011 on their vo luntary protocols may continue to be relied upon until the project transitions to the Compliance Offset Protocol (COP). Guidance issued by the Reserve and ACR after October 20, 2011 is currentlyunder ARB review with regard to its applicability to the early action quantification methodologies. If the guidance pertains to sections of the quantification methodology that are silent or ambig uous, then ARB will determine if the guidance is reasonable and consistent with the quantification m ethodology before allowing its use. Guidance that alters the clear language of an early action quantif ication methodology will not be applicable. For questions or clarifications regarding ARB’s Complian ce Offset Protocols or early action quantification methodologies, please contact an approved Offset Pr oject Registry or ARB directly. Both ACR and the Reserve are approved as Early Action Offset Pro grams and may issue early action offset credits that may be submitted to ARB for consideration for conversion to ARB Offset Credits. For the purposes of the Compliance Offset Program, only ARB-issued guidance for Compliance Offset Protocols is considered valid.


## Compliance Offset Protocols ARB has adopted four Compliance Offset Protocols th at may be used to generate ARB offset credits. U.S. Forest Projects Compliance Offset Protocol Urban Forest Projects Compliance Offset Protocol Livestock Projects Compliance Offset Protocol ODS Compliance Offset Protocol Note: Additional Compliance Offset Protocols will b e considered as part of future rulemaking activities. 

## Compliance Offset Projects All compliance offset projects must be developed ac cording to ARB approved Compliance Offset Protocols. Offset Project Operators must list their offset projects with an approved Offset Project Registry to be eligible for ARB offset credits. Please see the Climate Action Reserve or American Carbon Registrywebpage for information on proposed compliance offs et projects. Once projects are issued ARB credits, information about the projects can be found on ARB's Offset Credit Issuance webpage

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### Project Types: Forest Projects Urban Forest Projects Livestock Projects Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) Projects 

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## Potential New Compliance Offset Projects

The Cap-and-Trade Regulation establishes procedures for the approval of new Compliance Offset Protocols as well as requirements for new Complianc e Offset Protocols. All new protocols will be developed by ARB, with public input, to satisfy the requirements of the Regulation. Use ARB approved Compliance Offset Protocols must be used f or quantifying GHG emission reductions or removal enhancements resulting in ARB offset credit s. Proposed Project Types: Rice Cultivation Projects Mine Methane Capture Projects 

## Early Action Offset Credits The Cap-and-Trade Regulation allows for the transit ion of eligible existing offset credits developed under approved voluntary quantification methodologi es to ARB offset credits for use in the Cap-andTrade Program. Additional information about early action offset credits is available on the Early Action Offset Credit web page

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## Offset Project Registries The Cap-and-Trade Regulation allows ARB to approve Offset Project Registries to help administer parts of the Compliance Offset Program. Offset Pro ject Registries must meet specific regulatory criteria to be approved under the regulation. Offs et Project Registries will help facilitate the list ing, reporting, and verification of offset projects deve loped using the Compliance Offset Protocols. However, only ARB can issue compliance offset cred its for use in the Cap-and-Trade Program. For more information please see the Offset Project Registry web page

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## Offset Verification Program The Cap-and-Trade Regulation requires the third-party verification of all GHG emission reductions or removal enhancements before any ARB offset credits may be issued. Only ARB-accredited offset verification bodies and offset verifiers may provid e offset verification services under the Compliance Offset Program. More information about offset verif ication, including a list of approved offset verifi ers and verification bodies, may be found on the Offset Verification Program web page

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## Offset Project Operators The Cap-and-Trade Regulation requires the third-party verification of all GHG emission reductions or removal enhancements before any ARB offset credits may be issued. Only ARB-accredited offset verification bodies and offset verifiers may provid e offset verification services under the Compliance Offset Program. More information about offset verif ication, including a list of approved offset verifi ers and verification bodies, may be found on the Offset Verification Program web page

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## Offset Project Listing Requirements for Native Amer ican Tribes Page 3 of 4 Compliance Offset Program

5/29/2014 http://www.arb.ca.gov/cc/capandtrade/offsets/offsets.htmTribes, because of their unique status as sovereign nations, must include a limited waiver of

sovereign immunity that is legally binding under th e Tribe’s laws as part of the offset project listin g requirements to participate in the Compliance Offse t Program. Tribes must meet the requirements of sections 95975(c)(1) through (5), and the requireme nts of section 95975(l) of the Cap-and-Trade Regulation before any offset project located on the categories of land specified in section 95973(d) o f the Cap-and-Trade Regulation can be listed under AR B’s Compliance Offset Program. For more information please see the Offset Project Listing Requirements for Native Ameri can Tribes web page. 

## Forms ARB has developed forms for use in the Compliance Of fset Program. These forms may be used by program participants for submitting information rel ated to listing, reporting, verification, and issua nce of ARB offset credits. These forms can be found on the Compliance Offset Program Forms web page . In addition, each approved Offset Project Registry will make forms available on its own web page. 

## Offset Program Guidance and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) ARB has developed general guidance on the complianc e offset program. In addition, ARB will develop FAQs that address general questions related to the offsets program. ARB Instructional Guidance Document Guidance for CITSS Registration for Offset Project Operators and Authorized Project Designees Coming Soon! Offset Program FAQs

For questions or comments, please contact Brieanne Aguila at (916) 324-0919 or via email at baguila@arb.ca.gov

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