Tagged In: Climate Change, energy, energy accountability, Green Jobs, greenhouse gases, methane, oil and gas, orphan well, rulemaking, US EPA, Utility Accountability
Jesse Velazquez, Climate Justice Manager, February 29, 2024
NASA has confirmed that 2023 was the warmest year on human record. The latest IPCC climate report shows climate change is more urgent than ever before, signaling the need to reduce not only carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, but methane as well.
Methane remains in our atmosphere for roughly 10 years, whereas CO2 remains for centuries. However, over 20 years, methane traps nearly 80 times more heat than CO2. Reinforcing its status as a super pollutant, methane is also the primary contributor to ground-level ozone, or smog, a hazardous form of air pollution that causes 1 million premature deaths yearly.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) is countering these problematic public health outcomes and a warming world through new federal rules. Here’s how the U.S. EPA’s methane rule impacts Ohio.
Reducing this potent greenhouse gas is bold climate action that not only a majority of Americans support, but COP28 demonstrated the international community supports as well.
In December 2023, the U.S. EPA issued a new rule limiting methane emissions from the U.S. oil and gas industry — the energy sector’s most significant contributor to emissions.
As alarming as the need for bold climate action is, it befits us to consider the positive impacts to health, equity, economy, and industry accountability that the U.S. EPA’s methane rule will have in Ohio.
The U.S. EPA’s methane rule impacts environmental justice and Ohio’s economy while ensuring the energy industry is held accountable for reducing methane emissions.
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IMPACTS:
IMPACTS ON OHIO’S ECONOMY:
ENERGY INDUSTRY ACCOUNTABILITY:
The U.S. EPA’s methane rule targeting our nation’s oil and gas industry holds promise for Ohio by prioritizing our health, boosting our economy, and enforcing energy industry accountability.
Now that it’s finalized, Ohio agencies’ next step is to devise an implementation plan by 2026 for how oil and gas companies in the state will comply with the new ruling.
Make sure to follow the Ohio Environmental Council for updates on methane regulation and how state leaders plan to implement these rules in Ohio leading up to the 2026 deadline.
Learn about Ohio’s 20,349 orphan wells – and how our state has the most in the nation.