Progress toward reducing oil and gas air emissions in Ohio
New rules will help reduce air pollution that harms public health and contributes to climate change
Columbus, Ohio | April 04, 2014
The Nature Conservancy welcomed new requirements released today by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency aimed at curbing air emissions from oil and gas operations in the state. The standards represent the latest milestone in the trend at the state level toward cutting emission of methane and other pollutants at the state level and reducing the oil and gas sector’s contribution to diminished air quality and climate change.
“As oil and gas development continues to expand across the country, emissions of methane and other pollutants from drilling sites are increasing,” explained Josh Knights, Executive Director of The Nature Conservancy’s Ohio program. “Protections for air quality like those announced in Ohio are vital to controlling emissions and setting new performance standards for oil and gas extraction.”
The Conservancy joined other environmental groups in supporting the air protections announcement, but noted that air pollution from drilling sites is just one of many impacts of energy development that need mitigation. “It’s a promising development,” Knights stated, “but additional guidelines are needed to address air emissions from other oil and gas infrastructure like pipelines, as well as the effects of oil and gas development on land, wildlife, and water.”
The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends. The Conservancy and its more than 1 million members have protected nearly 120 million acres worldwide. Visit The Nature Conservancy on the Web at www.nature.org