The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is currently seeking input on methane leakage standards for new and existing oil and gas infrastructure. Methane is 87 times more potent a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide over a 20-year time period and leaks from every facet of the gas industry. Methane pollution from the oil and gas industry is fueling the climate crisis and threatening the health of our communities. It's time to do something about it.
The Senate, House and President Biden recently overturned the Trump Administration’s dangerous removal of methane from Obama-era standards for new oil and gas facilities. This paves the way for stronger rules for newly-constructed air pollution sources and, importantly, rules for existing air pollution sources.
Recent studies reveal that the extent of the methane leakage problem is far more significant than EPA’s previous estimates. The Environmental Defense Fund estimates that 16 million metric tons of methane associated with the gas industry leaks into the atmosphere every year. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) just concluded a two year study that calculated methane emissions across the U.S. and estimated that methane emissions are 48%-72% higher than the EPA’s previous estimates.
Clean Air Task Force has published a report detailing how the EPA and the gas industry can reduce methane emissions by 7.8 million tons by 2025.
