U.S. to Sharply Cut Methane Pollution that Threatens the Climate and Public Health

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or EPA Nov. 2, took an important step forward to advance President Biden’s commitment to action on climate change and protect people’s health by proposing comprehensive new protections to reduce pollution from the oil and natural gas industry – including, for the first time, reductions from existing sources nationwide. 

The proposed new Clean Air Act rule would lead to reductions in methane emissions and other health-harming air pollutants that endanger nearby communities. As part of the action, to inform a supplemental proposal, EPA is seeking comment on additional sources of methane to further strengthen emission controls and increase reductions from oil and gas operations. EPA is issuing the proposal in response to President Biden’s executive order on Protecting Public Health and the Environment and Restoring Science to Tackle the Climate Crisis. 

Pollution from oil and gas activities can occur in or near communities where people live, work and go to school – including minority and low-income communities, which are especially vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Based on an analysis of populations exposed to oil and gas pollution, EPA believes the proposed rule is likely to reduce these harmful effects.   

EPA’s regulatory impact analysis estimates the value of cumulative net climate benefits from the proposed rule, after taking into account the costs of compliance and savings from recovered natural gas, is $48 to $49 billion from 2023 to 2035 ­- the equivalent of about $4.5 billion a year. The climate benefits are estimated using the social cost of greenhouse gases and represent the monetary value of avoided climate damages associated with a decrease in emissions of a greenhouse gas. In addition to these benefits, EPA estimates that from 2023 to 2025, the proposal would reduce VOC emissions by 12 million tons and hazardous air pollution by 480,000 tons.

It would accomplish this through 1) updated and broadened methane and VOC emission reduction requirements for new, modified, and reconstructed oil and gas sources, including standards that limit emissions from additional types of sources (such as intermittent vent pneumatic controllers, associated gas, and well liquids unloading) for the first time under the Clean Air Act; and 2) requirements that states develop plans to limit methane emissions from hundreds of thousands of existing sources nationwide, along with presumptive standards for existing sources to assist in the planning process.   

Key features of the proposed rule include:

• a comprehensive monitoring program for new and existing well sites and compressor stations;
• a compliance option that allows owners and operators the flexibility to use advanced technology that can find major leaks more rapidly and at lower cost than ever before;
• a zero-emissions standard for new and existing pneumatic controllers (with a limited alternative standard for sites in Alaska), certain types of which account for approximately 30 percent of current methane emissions from the oil and natural gas sector;
• standards to eliminate venting of associated gas, and require capture and sale of gas where a sales line is available, at new and existing oil wells;
• proposed performance standards and presumptive standards for other new and existing sources, including storage tanks, pneumatic pumps, and compressors; and
• a requirement that states meaningfully engage with overburdened and underserved communities, among other stakeholders, in developing state plans.

EPA also is requesting information on additional sources of methane for the Agency to consider in developing a supplemental proposal to reduce emissions even further.  In addition, EPA is taking comment on how to structure a community monitoring program that would empower the public to detect and report large emission events for appropriate follow-up by owners and operators for possible further development in a supplemental proposal.  EPA intends to issue the supplemental proposal in 2022, and to issue a final rule before the end of 2022.  

EPA will take comment on the proposed rule for 60 days after it is published in the Federal Register. The Agency also will hold a virtual public hearing, and will host virtual trainings to help communities, Tribes and small businesses learn more about the proposed rule and participating in the public comment process. Those trainings begin Nov. 16. 

Details: https://www.epa.gov/controlling-air-pollution-oil-and-natural-gas-industry