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Obama Administration Proposes First Federal Limits On Methane Emissions From Oil And Gas Industry

Geoff Livingston
/
Flickr

The Obama administration on Tuesday proposed the first federal limits on methane emissions from the oil and gas industry. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency wants to cut the methane levels recorded in 2012 by at least 40 percent by 2025.

Methane is the key component of natural gas, and it’s a potent greenhouse pollutant that has more than 25 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide. About 15,000 new wells could be affected by the rule, which is built around detecting and stopping leaks during fracking, and as natural gas is compressed, pumped and stored.

The methane regulations are part of Obama’s broader climate initiative, which centers on a proposal to cut carbon emissions from power plants. The proposed methane rules will undergo a 60-day public comment period before they’re finalized later in 2016.

“This means that we can continue to accelerate the transition to a clean energy economy by capturing fuel that would otherwise be wasted, while also preventing pollution that harms our climate and the health of our communities and families,” Janet McCabe, the acting assistant administrator for the EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation said Tuesday during a conference call with reporters.

Environmental groups praised the proposed rules…

… but said they don’t go far enough:

“Controlling methane, however, is not an end in itself and it will not make fracked oil and gas safe,” Sierra Club executive director Michael Brune said in a statement. “Continued reliance on dirty fossil fuels is a dangerous course for our communities and our climate. We must move swiftly to truly clean energy like wind, solar and energy efficiency while establishing policies that keep fossil fuels in the ground."

The oil and gas industry, for its part, said the regulations are costly and unnecessary because oil companies are already reducing methane emissions.

StateImpact Oklahoma is a partnership among Oklahoma’s public radio stations and relies on contributions from readers and listeners to fulfill its mission of public service to Oklahoma and beyond. Donate online.

Joe was a founding reporter for StateImpact Oklahoma (2011-2019) covering the intersection of economic policy, energy and environment, and the residents of the state. He previously served as Managing Editor of Urban Tulsa Weekly, as the Arts & Entertainment Editor at Oklahoma Gazette and worked as a Staff Writer for The Oklahoman. Joe was a weekly arts and entertainment correspondent for KGOU from 2007-2010. He grew up in Bartlesville, Okla. and studied journalism at the University of Central Oklahoma.
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