Dear Friend, The Supreme Court’s decision regarding the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ability to regulate carbon dioxide pollution from power plants was disappointing, but it does not affect the EPA’s soon-to-be-proposed standards for reducing methane and volatile organic compound (VOC) pollution from existing oil and gas infrastructure. The Supreme Court’s decision has restricted the EPA from developing standards that require industry to make emissions reductions outside of the “fenceline” of a particular pollution source. In the case of the EPA’s proposed methane/VOC rule, the EPA is proposing to require the drilling industry to increase air monitoring, quickly repair malfunctioning equipment and install widely available pollution control technology like valves that do not leak gas to the atmosphere, known as pneumatic devices. According to a new report from the Clean Air Task Force, pneumatic devices are the single largest source of methane emissions from gas production nationally, emitting 62% of all methane pollution created during the gas extraction process. Methane has 87 times the climate warming power of carbon dioxide over a 20-year time period and is responsible for 30% of the climate chaos we are currently experiencing. That’s why it’s critical that EPA keep its proposed requirements for “no-bleed” pneumatic controllers at all new and existing oil and gas well sites in the final rule and also require “no-bleed” pneumatic pumps at all associated gas compressor stations. Tell the EPA to finalize the strongest air pollution regulations possible. This includes a ban on gas flaring or venting unless in absolute emergencies, consistent methane monitoring at all oil and gas facilities (including smaller, leak-prone wells), and requiring “no-bleed” pneumatic controllers and pumps at all gas wells and compressor stations. | |
Joseph Otis Minott, Esq.
Executive Director and Chief Counsel | |
