Methane Emissions

Close-up of blue flame in gas-powered water heater.

Study: Building Pollution Contributing to Poor Air Quality in NYC

Pollutants from methane, propane, and fuel oil are on the rise, leading to a growing public health crisis.

October 1, 2024 - BK Reader

Close-up of food waste inside a black plastic compost bin.

Massachusetts Has the Nation’s Only Successful Food Waste Ban

The state has reduced its methane emissions by 25.7 percent per ton of waste following a law that seeks to eliminate food waste from landfills.

September 13, 2024 - Fast Company

Two yellow pipes for natural gas or oil agains ta backdrop of snow

The Big Divide Between Big and Little Oil on the New Climate-Energy Law

President Joe Biden signed what he called “one of the most significant laws in our history” last Tuesday. The energy provisions in the law that benefit oil and gas extraction exposed different perspectives within the industry on the law.

August 22, 2022 - Bloomberg News

Sierra Nevada Drought

Natural Gas Leaks Responsible for the Death of Trees in Urban Areas, According to a New Study

A new study conducted in Chelsea, Massachusetts is the first to quantify the effects of natural gas leaks on the health of urban trees.

May 31, 2020 - Inside Climate News

Presidential Campaign

Scrutinizing the Reality of Bernie's Energy and Climate Plans

CNN host Fareed Zakaria questions whether the goals of Sanders' ambitious Green New Deal are realistic.

February 24, 2020 - The Washington Post

Methane

Big Oil Not Happy With Methane Regulation Rollback

The Trump administration's rollback on August 29 of an Obama-era regulation to reduce methane emissions in the production and distribution of oil and natural gas did not sit well with large oil and gas companies who see value in reducing emissions.

September 3, 2019 - The New York Times

Bio Gas Installation Cows

Renewable Natural Gas Makes Inroads in California, Oregon, and Missouri

What is expected to be the nation's largest dairy biogas operation opened in the Central Valley. To the north, Gov. Kate Brown signed the nation's first bill to establish goals to add renewable gas to pipelines, and pigs in Missouri also made news.

August 10, 2019 - NGT News

Gas and Oil Company

Royal Dutch Shell: Big Oil with a Conscience?

Big Oil companies are not all alike. Royal Dutch Shell is the first one to part ways with a major oil industry trade group over differences on climate change. It's also linking executive pay to goals to reduce the company's carbon footprint.

April 5, 2019 - The Washington Post

Methane

Latest Obama-Era Regulations Targeted by the Trump Administration: Methane Rules

One Obama-era climate regulation still on the books deals with methane leakage from oil and gas wells. The greenhouse gas is 25 times more powerful than carbon dioxide. Another methane regulation targeted deals with flaring on federal lands.

September 13, 2018 - The New York Times

Methane

New Research Directly Measures Methane's Increasing Greenhouse Effect

According to to a recent study, methane gas produces a much larger greenhouse effect than previously thought. Planners can act to limit the environmental impact of methane.

April 13, 2018 - Kayla Matthews

Natural Gas

Another Environmental Regulation Rollback Finalized by Trump Administration

A one-year suspension of an Obama-era rule to reduce methane emissions from oil and gas drilling on Federal and Indian lands will increase global warming and reduce federal revenue. Trump took action after Congress failed to repeal the rule.

December 16, 2017 - The Washington Post

Natural Gas

Appeals Court Deals Second Setback to Trump Administration on Methane Regulation

Another unpleasant reminder for the Trump Administration that there are three equal branches of government: A federal appeals court ruled 9-2 that EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt must enforce a rule to reduce methane emissions from oil and gas wells.

August 7, 2017 - CNN Politics

Appeals Court Rebuffs Trump's EPA on Methane Emissions Suspension

In a win for the environment, a D.C. Circuit panel ruled that EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt could not arbitrarily suspend the starting date of a landmark Obama rule that would reduce methane emissions from new and modified oil and gas wells.

July 6, 2017 - The Washington Post

Methane

Congress Fails to Roll Back Obama-Era Methane Emissions Rule

Current events that have nothing to do with the environment but everything to do with politics might have caused the defeat of a bill to overturn an Obama-era rule designed to reduce methane emissions on federal lands.

May 12, 2017 - The Washington Post

Methane

California Approves Nation's Toughest Methane Emissions Rule

While Congress is attempting to roll back a federal regulation on methane emissions, the California Air Resources Board approved a landmark rule that regulates methane emissions from onshore and offshore oil and gas production and storage facilities.

March 27, 2017 - San Francisco Chronicle

Scott Pruitt

EPA Administrator Transitions from Climate Change Skeptic to Denier

Perhaps there never really was much difference between 'skepticism' and 'denial'. Scott Pruitt certainly proved that on Thursday when he answered CNBC's Joe Kernen's question if carbon emissions are the primary cause of climate change.

March 13, 2017 - CNBC

EPA Administrator Withdraws Methane Emissions Requirement

No surprise here. Scott Pruitt agreed with nine state attorney generals, including his replacement in Oklahoma, to reverse a request enacted by his predecessor to require oil and gas drillers to record information on the release of methane emissions.

March 6, 2017 - The Washington Post

Energy and Environmental Regulations Under Attack—by Congress

Two environmental regulations enacted by the Obama Administration are expected to be rescinded under the Congressional Review Act: the Stream Protection Rule that protects water from mountaintop coal mining and limits on flaring methane emissions.

February 2, 2017 - NPR

Methane

EPA Releases Final Methane Rule for New and Modified Oil and Gas Wells

While the methane reduction targets are the same as the draft rule released last August (i.e., 40-45 percent reduction of 2012 levels by 2025), the new rule removes exceptions, resulting in a 30 percent improvement in reductions of methane.

May 18, 2016 - The Hill

Methane Emissions Replace CO2 Emissions— Is This Progress?

For the first time, electricity generated from burning natural gas will surpass coal, largely due to fracking of shale. While that means that carbon dioxide emissions will continue to drop, it also means that methane emissions will increase.

April 17, 2016 - The Washington Post - Energy and Environment

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