340-272-0100 General Requirements for Verification of Reports and Fuel Pathway Applications (1) The annual third party verification requirements set forth in this division apply beginning in 2022 for reports with data for calendar year 2021, and in each year thereafter. Quarterly review conducted as part of annual verification services that meet the requirements of this division may begin in 2022 for reports with data for the year 2022. (2) Each responsible entity must: (a) Engage the services of a verification body to perform verification under this division; (b) Do the following before verification services begin: (A) Conduct a conflict of interest evaluation in coordination with the verification body according to OAR 340-272-0500 and develop a conflict of interest mitigation plan, if needed, according to OAR 340-272-0500. Ensure both a complete and accurate conflict of interest evaluation and conflict of interest mitigation plan, as applicable, are submitted to DEQ, and receive from DEQ approval in writing to proceed with verification services; and (B) Submit to DEQ the report that is to be verified and attest that the data and information submitted to DEQ in the report is true, accurate, and complete; (c) Ensure that a verification statement is submitted to DEQ from the verification body for each report identified under OAR 340-272-0110 and OAR 340-272-0120 by the deadline specified under section (3); and (d) Ensure the requirements of this division are met, including but not limited to, ensuring that verification services are provided in compliance with the requirements of OAR 340-272-0300 and that a potential for a conflict of interest is evaluated, monitored, and mitigated according to OAR 340-272-0500; (3) Verification deadlines. (a) Each responsible entity must ensure that a positive, qualified positive, or adverse verification statement is received by DEQ from a verification body by August 31 of the year a report is submitted, for the following reports, as applicable: (A) Any CFP report, as applicable under OAR 340-272-0110; and (B) Any GHG Reporting Program emissions data report described under OAR 340-215-0044(1)(a) through (d), and (g), as applicable under OAR 340-272-0120. (b) Each responsible entity must ensure that a positive, qualified positive, or adverse verification statement is received by DEQ from a verification body by September 30 of the year a report is submitted, for each GHG Reporting Program emissions data report described under OAR 340-215-0044(1)(e) and (f), as applicable under OAR 340-272-0120. (c) DEQ may extend verification deadlines in subsections (a) or (b) as necessary and will issue notice of any extensions. (4) Requirements for full or less intensive verification for certain responsible entities. (a) Responsible entities required to engage the services of a verification body to perform annual verification of CFP quarterly reports under OAR 340-272-0110(4), GHG Reporting Program emissions data reports under OAR 340-272-0120(1), or both must engage the services of a verification body to provide full verification, as described by this division, in the first year that verification is required under section (1), in 2023, and then in at least every third year thereafter, if subsection (b) is applicable. Full verification is required in any year where subsection (b) does not apply. Responsible entities required to engage the services of a verification body to perform validation of a CFP fuel pathway application under OAR 340-253, must perform a full site visit as part of the validation and during the first year of full verification of the annual fuel pathway report. (b) Responsible entities required to engage the services of a verification body to perform annual verification of CFP quarterly reports under OAR 340-272-0110(4), GHG Reporting Program emissions data reports under OAR 340-272-0120(1), or both may engage the services of a verification body to provide less intensive verification in place of full verification, for up to two years out of every three year period, if: (A) There has not been a change in the verification body; (B) A positive verification statement was issued for the previous year; and (C) No change of operational control of the responsible entity occurred in the previous year. (c) A verification body may choose to provide full verification, at its discretion, in instances where the responsible entity has made changes in sources, significant changes in emissions, significant changes in data management systems, or any combination therein, occurred compared to the previous year, based on the professional judgment of the verification body. (A) The verification body must provide reasons why it opted for full verification to the responsible entity and to DEQ. (B) The verification body must provide justification in the verification report if it did not opt for full verification in instances where the total reported emissions differ by greater than 25 percent relative to the previous year’s emissions. (5) Verification body and verifier rotation requirements. (a) A responsible entity must not use the same verification body or verifier(s) to perform verification for a period of more than six consecutive years. (b) A responsible entity must wait at least three years before re-engaging the previous verification body or verifier(s) to perform verification. (c) If a reporting entity is required to select a new verification body to verify a report or fuel pathway application that has been set aside according to OAR 340-272-0350(2)(a), the reporting entity may continue to contract for verification services with its current verification body, subject to the six-year time limit, unless the verification body’s approval to provide those services has been modified, suspended or revoked by DEQ under OAR 340-272-0220(3). Statutory/Other Authority: ORS 468.020, 468A.050, 468A.266, 468A.271, 468A.277 & 468A.280 Statutes/Other Implemented: ORS 468A.010, 468A.015, 468A.050, 468A.265 - 468A.277 & 468A.280 History: DEQ 2-2025, amend filed 01/09/2025, effective 01/09/2025 DEQ 17-2023, amend filed 11/16/2023, effective 11/16/2023 DEQ 14-2020, adopt filed 05/07/2020, effective 05/07/2020