Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a proposal for a methane waste charge on large sources of oil and gas methane pollution. The proposed methane waste charge is part of the Methane Emissions Reduction Program authorized by Congress through the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. 

In response, EEN President & CEO Rev. Dr. Jessica Moerman issued the following statement: 

“The methane waste charge is a forward-looking proposal that will incentivize economic innovation in methane mitigation. Cutting wasteful and dangerous methane emissions from the oil and gas sector is one of the fastest ways to slow global warming now. It is also crucial to defending our children’s health from toxic gases associated with methane emissions. Many industry operators understand the need to lower their emissions and have already set goals to do so. The methane waste charge will further enable oil and gas operators to successfully and efficiently achieve these goals.”

As a separate component of the Methane Emissions Reduction Program, the Department of Energy (DOE) and EPA also recently announced $350 million in funding to 14 states to identify, measure, and permanently reduce methane emissions from low-producing (marginal) conventional oil and gas wells. These funds will facilitate states to support industry efforts to cut methane emissions from wells on non-federal lands and support the environmental restoration of well sites.

Today’s announcement begins a 45-day public comment period on the proposed structure.