Uhl organizes campaign calling for reduction of methane output by oil and gas industry
Ninety health, environmental and sportsmen’s groups asked the federal government Thursday to clamp down on the release of methane gas by the petrochemical industry, asserting that the United States cannot reach its goal for reducing heat-trapping emissions without addressing the issue.
Led by the Clean Air Task Force, the groups asked the Environmental Protection Agency and the Interior Department to develop federal regulations to plug leaks of methane from oil and gas exploration equipment and the industry practice of burning excess methane, known as “flaring.” The groups are also concerned about leaks of natural gas — whose major component is methane — during transport.
“Climate scientists agree we cannot reach our greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal without curbing methane from the oil and gas industry,” said Sarah Uhl, organizer of the Clean Air Task Force’s Stop the Leaks Campaign. “From the wellhead to customers’ meters, there is leakage all along the system, and it all matters, and it can all be cleaned up cost-effectively.”
