CONGRESSMAN LIEU STATEMENT ON NEW EPA STANDARDS TO CUT METHANE EMISSIONS

Los Angeles - Today, Congressman Ted W. Lieu (D | Los Angeles) released the following statement regarding the Environmental Protection Agency's release of common sense standards to cut methane emissions from the oil and gas sector.

"The Environmental Protection Agency's release of new methane emissions standards is welcome news. For years, our fossil energy suppliers have wasted methane by burning off enough during co-extraction to heat 5 million homes. Whatever methane was not burned off was then released into the atmosphere rather than put to productive use as an energy source. As if wasting energy is not enough, methane is a greenhouse gas, so burn-offs and releases have amounted to nearly 25% of all greenhouse gasses emitted into the environment. These wasteful practices have significantly accelerated climate change. I commend the EPA for stepping in to drastically reduce the release of methane to ensure that we do not waste precious energy resources."

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