On August 18, the Environmental Protection Agency released its much anticipated methane pollution reduction rule. The EPA methane rule is part of suite of rules that will come out to reduce methane pollution from the oil and gas sector by 40-45 percent by 2025.
The EPA rule addresses how existing oil and gas wells and infrastructure can reduce methane emissions from leaks, venting, and flaring. WORC Oil and Gas Campaign Team Chairwoman Theodora Bird Bear applauded the release of the EPA methane rule in the following statement:
“WORC applauds the Obama Administration for taking a major step towards reducing methane pollution and the waste of a valuable resource. The proposed methane pollution standards will help improve air quality, reduce the waste of methane from leaks and venting, and reduce the climate and health impacts resulting from oil and gas development.”
Next, we will likely see the release of the Bureau of Land Management’s methane emission reduction rules. The BLM methane rule will aim to cut methane pollution from oil and gas on federal and tribal lands.
Methane is one of the most potent greenhouse gases; some estimates state that it is 80 times more potent than carbon in its ability to accelerate climate change. And with the present progress towards reducing methane emissions, it is clear that now is the time to push for the strongest possible rules to significantly reduce or eliminate altogether methane emissions from the oil and gas industry at both the state and national levels.
WORC will submit comments on the EPA rules and encourages you to submit comments here.
Read more oil and gas stories here.
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