On September 17, a bipartisan group of state legislators joined environmental organizations to urge Gov. Tom Wolf to advance a crucial state Department of Environmental Protection rule to cut methane pollution from the natural gas industry.
[A similar request was made to Gov. Wolf by a bipartisan group of House members on September 20.]
[A similar request was made to Gov. Wolf by a bipartisan group of House members on September 20.]
The legislators urged the governor to act on his 2016 plan now, in the face of proposed rollbacks of federal methane standards by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Controls the Wolf’s administration already put in place cover new oil and gas drilling technology. The lawmakers said they also want Wolf to enact standards that cover methane emissions on existing sources of infrastructure used for natural gas development.
“The climate crisis is urgent, and targeting infrastructure that has been polluting Pennsylvania for nearly a decade is necessary to protect clean air – especially as the Trump administration moves in the opposite direction,” said Rep. Steve McCarter (D-Montgomery).
Recent analysis by Environmental Defense Fund found that methane emissions from Pennsylvania’s oil and gas industry, the second largest in the nation, are five times higher than what is reported to the state Department of Environmental Protection – 520,000 tons of methane every year.
“Gov. Wolf stood with us in July as we announced the state’s entry into the U.S. Climate Alliance and pointed to methane reduction as one of the solutions. Pennsylvania needed him to move forward with regulations then, and we still do,” said Rep. Gene DiGirolamo (R-Bucks). “The climate crisis is exploding all around us, and Pennsylvanians are demanding action. Methane emissions account for 25 percent of the climate change we are experiencing globally. At the national level, even major oil companies such as Shell and XTO – both of which operate in Pennsylvania – opposed the federal government rolling back methane rules.”
In April, Wolf enjoined Pennsylvania to the U.S. Climate Alliance by announcing the state’s support for the Paris Agreement. The move followed more than 100 local governments (including Pittsburgh and Philadelphia), businesses, investors, higher education institutions, and more that have also backed the agreement.
“Methane pollution must be reduced and eliminated,” said Rep. Carolyn Comitta (D-Chester). “It’s clear that Washington is not going to help us. Pennsylvania must step up to ensure the safety of our children and families. I support Gov. Wolf’s plan to protect clean air, and I look forward to further action as we keep Pennsylvania a great place to live, work and raise healthy families.”
“All companies must be held to a high standard and cut methane emissions from their operations here in Pennsylvania,” said Rep. Chris Quinn (R-Delaware). “I’m saying to Gov. Wolf, please finish the job and advance the rule you proposed to the Environmental Quality Board and cut methane pollution from existing natural gas infrastructure. It makes both economic and environmental sense.”
“The Pennsylvania constitution recognizes our right to clean air,” said Sen. Tom Killion (R-Delaware). “In light of these troublesome federal rollbacks, I urge Gov. Wolf to advance the proposed state rules on methane emissions as quickly as possible.”
“Methane emissions-- especially those from oil and gas activities-- are shown to have accelerated climate change significantly,” said Sen. Steve Santarsiero (D-Bucks). “This call for regulation on our air is even more urgent now, given the federal government’s strategy to undo environmental protections.”
Reaction
Gov. Wolf issued this statement on actions his administration is taking on reducing methane emissions from the oil and gas industry.
“We’re already seeing the results of climate change in Pennsylvania – increased severe weather, oppressively hot summers and record-setting temperatures.
“While the White House continues to do everything in its power to pull back environmental regulations, I am fighting for policies that move Pennsylvania forward in addressing climate change and protecting our shared environment.
“We are moving forward on many fronts to tackle climate change and reduce our emissions footprint and expect to have the rule proposed at the Environmental Quality Board before the end of the year.
“While these commonsense requirements have already been adopted by many leading natural gas companies, the new regulation of existing sources will ensure that all companies operating in the Commonwealth take responsibility for preventing methane leaks and reducing emissions.”
Environmental, faith and health groups applauded the call by a bipartisan group of state legislators asking Gov. Wolf to move now in advancing strong methane rules to the Environmental Quality Board in the face of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s recently announced federal rollbacks on methane standards.
“As the bipartisan group of Pennsylvania House climate leaders made clear, Gov. Wolf must move immediately on strong rules to cut methane pollution from the natural gas industry. These rules have been in development at the Department of Environmental Protection for too long and with the federal government abdicating its role on climate action, it falls to Gov. Wolf to act quickly and decisively to protect the residents of the Commonwealth.
“Methane is a potent greenhouse gas. The industry cannot be given a free pass – the climate crisis facing our children and future generations is too great. We are past the point of debate, delay and half measures-- it’s time to advance methane rules in keeping with the governor’s Methane Reduction Strategy of January 2016 and the Governor’s commitments in his Executive Order on climate of January 2019.”
This statement was signed onto by Environmental Defense Fund, Evangelical Environmental Network, Clean Water Action, Clean Air Council, PennFuture, Natural Resources Defense Council, Earthworks, Moms Clean Air Force, PennEnvironment, Sierra Club, Southwest Pennsylvania Environmental Health Project, Pennsylvania Interfaith Power and Light, Pennsylvania Council of Churches and Physicians for Social Responsibility, Philadelphia Chapter.
Visit DEP’s Methane Reductions and Climate Change webpages for more on Pennsylvania’s methane and climate initiatives..
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