Comment by August 9
The Trump Administration wants to delay and weaken emission controls that would reduce greenhouse gas emissions and asthma-inducing smog. The public comment period is ongoing; comments must be received on or before 11:59 pm August 9.
EPA has proposed to delay key elements of methane air quality emissions standards for the oil and gas sector. These air quality standards would protect public health while reducing greenhouse gas emission. Methane is a “super-pollutant” with a global warming potential more than 25 times that of carbon dioxide.1
Methane also contributes to ozone in our breathing zone (ground-level ozone, or “smog”). Exposure to ozone is linked to a wide range of health effects, including severe asthma attacks, increased emergency room visits and hospital admissions, and premature death.
The oil and gas sector is the country’s largest emitter of methane. Many kinds of equipment used in the oil and gas sector leak methane. The oil and gas industry is the largest industrial source of emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), a group of chemicals that also contribute to ground-level ozone (smog). In addition to forming smog, many VOCs are also toxic to humans.
EPA finalized air quality standards to control methane and VOC emissions from the oil and gas sector in May 2016. The Trump Administration wants to stop EPA and the States from implementing these methane pollution controls while it rolls back the air quality standards for methane emissions.
EPA will accept comments on the proposals until August 9, 2017. For information on the rule, the rollback proposal, and how to comment, go to Methane Rule.