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Questions or Comments: ebt@tceq.texas.gov

Mass Emissions Cap and Trade Program

The MECT Program is a market-based cap-and-trade program that implements an annual nitrogen oxides emission cap for applicable facilities in the Houston-Galveston-Brazoria ozone nonattainment area.

Overview

Program participants are required to use allowances or discrete emission credits to cover NOx emissions on an annual basis. The allowances available for use each year are capped at a level necessary to attain the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for ozone. Participation from affected facilities is mandatory.

Featured Items

Forms

  • The following applications must be submitted electronically through STEERS:
    • MECT annual compliance reports (submit by March 31 after the control period)
    • Current or vintage trades (submit by January 30 after the control period)
  • Application for Permanent Transfer of Allowance Ownership (Form ECT-4) in PDF or Word. Submit 30 days prior to transfer.
  • Application to Use Allowances for Offset Requirements (Form ECT-4O) in PDF or Word. Submit 30 days before the facility begins operation.
  • Application for Transfer of Individual Future Year Allowances (Form ECT-5) in PDF or Word. Submit to execute transfer.

MECT Tools

Annual Report Checklists

The following checklists were developed to help sites that are subject to the MECT Program to prepare and submit supporting documentation for Annual Compliance Reporting. The checklists are highly recommended to help ensure all supporting documentation is provided. Checklists may be submitted as an attachment to your Annual Report through STEERS.

  • Annual Report Checklist for Major Source in PDF or Word
  • Annual Report Checklist for Minor Source in PDF or Word
  • Annual Report Checklist for EGU in PDF or Word

MECT Calculation Tool

The following Excel tool was developed to help calculate weighted average emission factors (EF) for facilities that have a new stack test and convert level of activity (LOA) into units of horsepower-hour (hp-hr) or million British thermal units (MMBtu). If this tool is used to determine inputs for your Annual Report, you must submit a copy of the worksheet(s) as an attachment to your Annual Report through STEERS.

Supplemental Documents

  • Supporting Documentation for CEMS and PEMS - PDF or Word
    This document must be submitted as supporting documentation for sites with units for which Continuous Emissions Monitoring Systems (CEMS) or Predictive Emissions Monitoring Systems (PEMS) data is used to quantify annual emissions. Submit this form as an attachment to your Annual Report through STEERS.

Audits and Summary Reports

  • Trade Report - List of approved allowance trades.
  • Summary Reports - Annual summary of allowance allocations, emissions, compliance penalties, and transfers.

Contacts