Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative
Transparency International-USA (TI-USA) is a member of the multi-stakeholder group created to implement the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) in the United States. We believe that implementing EITI in the United States will increase transparency and accountability relating to natural resource extraction in the United States. EITI is a global coalition of governments, industry and civil society working together to improve openness and accountable management of revenues derived from the extraction of natural resources. Participating countries produce an annual report that 1) provides information about the extractives sector in their country and 2) reconciles payments companies report making to government in taxes, royalties, fees and rents related to the extraction of natural resources with amounts government reports receiving from companies.
Implementation of the EITI in the United States began in 2012 with the formation of a Federal Advisory Committee to the Department of Interior (DOI), of which TI-USA is a member. Consisting of representatives of government, industry and civil society, this multi-stakeholder group prepared the U.S. candidacy application, which was accepted by the International EITI in March 2014. The Federal Advisory Committee has defined the scope of reporting for purposes of the first U.S. EITI report, which was published in December 2015. In addition to the report, which covers oil, gas, coal, iron, gold, copper, wind, solar, and geothermal, the US EITI has developed an interactive data portal. The report and data portal include a wealth of information and should help allow Americans to have a better understanding of the role this sector plays in the American economy as well as determine whether or not they are getting a fair return for extraction that takes place on public lands and in public waters. For our view on the first U.S. EITI report, see our blog.