Methane Standard Announcement

For Immediate Release

DATE:       December 2nd, 2023  

CONTACT:   Catherine Gorman, cgorman@cacampaign.org, 708-334-4424

Climate Action Campaign Applauds the Biden Administration For Taking Steps to Cut Methane Pollution

Washington, D.C. – Following today’s announcement that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will implement stronger standards to cut methane pollution and other harmful air pollutants from the oil and gas sector, Margie Alt, Director of the Climate Action Campaign, applauded the Biden administration for taking bold action.

”Today is a good day for all of us who care about tackling the climate crisis. Cutting methane pollution from oil and gas production will help protect our communities, our health, and our climate,” said Alt. “Methane is a powerful pollutant – 80 times more potent than carbon pollution for the first 20 years in the atmosphere. This new, tough standard helps fulfill President Biden’s commitment to protect the climate and public health and bolster environmental justice. It is critical that we cut climate pollution wherever possible to meet the timetable scientists tell us is critical to stave off the worst impacts and to meet the president’s promise to cut climate pollution in half by 2030. Today’s announcement is another critical step in the right direction. We look forward to working with the EPA to help implement this important safeguard and hold polluters accountable to protecting our communities.”

The EPA’s methane standard is a priority of the Solutions for Pollution campaign led by CAC. The campaign, supported by a coalition of over 300 environmental, public health, and environmental justice groups, is calling on the Biden administration to carry out its responsibilities under our nation’s bedrock environmental laws, such as the Clean Air Act, by advancing approximately 20 protections across federal agencies that could cut climate pollution in half by 2030.

Alt continued: “We thank President Biden and EPA Administrator Regan for their work to cut methane pollution and call on them to quickly finalize the other pending standards that will clean up our air and protect our climate. These Solutions for Pollution must be swiftly enacted to ensure President Biden’s vision and commitment become a reality and that all our communities are safer and healthier.”