By the close of the comment period over 850,000 comments were submitted in support of the EPA methane rules. Millions of metric tons of methane, the primary component of natural gas, are leaked, vented, and flared throughout the oil and gas supply chain every year.
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that, on a 20-year timescale, is 87 times more powerful than carbon dioxide. EPA’s standard, proposed August 18, is an important first step in reducing these emissions and part of the administration’s strategy to cut methane emissions by 40-45% by 2025.
WORC submitted comments on December 4 supporting the EPA methane rules. WORC’s comments also urged the EPA to improve the proposed methane rules by expanding the rules to apply to existing sources of air pollution related to oil and gas.
Presently the rules only apply to new and modified sources of pollution. WORC’s comments also asked the EPA to increase the frequency of inspections to detect leaks. Northern Plains Resource Council, Dakota Resource Council, and Western Colorado Congress signed onto WORC’s comments.