The Obama administration released its methane reduction strategy that targets releases from landfills, coal mines, agriculture, and oil and gas production.
According to the White House, the Climate Action Plan includes steps to cut carbon pollution and help prepare the United States for the impacts of climate change that are already on the way.
- Landfills: In the summer of 2014, the EPA will propose updated standards to reduce methane from new landfills and take public comment on existing standards.
- Coal Mines: In April 2014, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will release an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) to gather public input on the development of a program for the capture and sale, or disposal of waste mine methane on lands leased by the Federal government.
- Agriculture: In June, in partnership with the dairy industry and government agencies, a “Biogas Roadmap” outlining voluntary strategies to accelerate adoption of methane digesters and other technologies will be released.
- Oil and Gas: In the spring of 2014, EPA will assess several potentially significant sources of methane and other emissions from the oil and gas sector. Later this year, the BLM will propose updated standards to reduce venting and flaring from oil and gas production on public lands. And the Administration will identify “downstream” methane reduction opportunities.
According to the White House, methane pollution is projected to increase to a level equivalent to over 620 million tons of carbon dioxide pollution in 2030 absent additional action to reduce emissions.