NRDC Statement on White House Methane Announcement
WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 14, 2015)—The White House today announced a new goal of cutting dangerous methane pollution from the oil and gas industry 40-45 percent by 2025, along with plans to reduce these emissions from some sectors of the industry.
In addition to the new methane target, the administration announced the Environmental Protection Agency will set Clean Air Act standards to reduce methane pollution from new oil and gas production, processing and transmission equipment nationwide. It also announced plans to cut emissions from some existing oil and gas operations, but those standards would apply only to equipment located in areas of the country that fail smog standards.
A statement follows from Rhea Suh, President of the Natural Resources Defense Council:
“Today’s methane announcement is an important start toward protecting families, communities and the planet from this dangerous pollution. Curbing the rampant methane waste from the oil and gas industry is the biggest new step the White House can take to fight climate change.
“Meeting the administration's reduction goal, however, will require EPA to curb methane pollution from all existing oil and gas operations across the nation, not just those in some parts of the country. Taking such industry-wide action would be a powerful follow-up to the President’s historic action on carbon pollution from power plants.”
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