PA Environment Digest Blog: Environmental Defense Fund: Rollback Of Federal Methane Emission Limits On Oil & Gas Facilities Have Wasted $4.8 Billion Worth Of Natural Gas That Could Have Served 22 Million Homes

On April 26, the Environmental Defense Fund published a new tool to continuously add up the natural gas wasted so far since the rollback of federal methane limits on oil and gas facilities-- so far $4.8 billion worth of natural gas that could have served 22 million homes.

The counter shows the natural gas wasted since EPA announced the rollback on March 12, 2025.

Methane, the primary ingredient of natural gas, is released during oil and gas operations through leaks or intentionally venting or flaring into the atmosphere. That means less natural gas going to market.

The EDF said this energy waste is "unconscionable" when electric and natural gas ratepayers are staring down potentially huge increases in natural gas prices driven by worldwide demand for natural gas exports and data centers.

The International Energy Agency found that global gas demand reached an all-time high in 2024, with no signs of slowing down.

Click Here to see what the energy waste is up to now and for more information.

(Photo: Natural gas/chemical flares burning almost continuously at the MarkWest Harmon Creek and Energy Transfer Revolution cryogenic natural gas processing plants in Washington County April 29, courtesy of Breathe Project cameras. Read more here.)

PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - April 25 to May 1: Violations For Conventional Well Abandonment Top 204; Cleaning Up Shale Gas Wastewater Release For 245 Days [PaEN]

-- DEP - Day 245: Expand Operating LLC Continuing Cleanup Of Ongoing Shale Gas Fracking Wastewater Release From Well Pad In Great Bend Twp., Susquehanna County [PaEN]

-- DEP Signs Consent Orders With CNX Gas, Leatherwood LLC Requiring The Plugging Of 5 Conventional Coal Bed Methane Wells Prior To Longwall Coal Mining In Center Twp., Greene County [PaEN]

-- ‘Emergency’ Upset Natural Gas/Chemical Flare At MarkWest Harmon Cryogenic Natural Gas Processing Plant In Washington County Was Briefly Almost As Bright As The Moon Last Night - Live Breathe Project Cameras [April 30]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - May 2 [PaEN]

-- DEP Invites Comments On Chapter 105 Permit For 4.5 Mile EQT ARO Natural Gas Pipeline On State Forest Land In Lycoming County [PaEN]

-- DEP Posted 62 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In May 2 PA Bulletin [PaEN]

-- DEP Accepting Comments On 2nd Stormwater Permit For SNA North LLC/QTS A.I. Data Center Project In Salem Twp., Luzerne County [PaEN]

-- Public Utility Commission Sets July 10 Telephonic Hearing On PPL Condemnation Of 30 Properties For The Sugarloaf 500/230KV Transmission Line In Luzerne County To Serve Data Centers [PaEN]

-- DEP To Hold June 16 Hearing On Water Quality Permit For Rustic Ridge II Coal Mining Permit In Westmoreland County [PaEN]

-- DEP To Hold May 21 Informal Conference To Take Comments On The Proposed Addition Of 7,154 Acres To The Rosebud Mining Company Penfield Coal Mine In Clearfield County [PaEN]

Related Articles This Week:

-- Environmental Health Project Calls On Gov. Shapiro To Address Health Hazards Of Fossil Fuels [PaEN]

-- DEP Receives Federal Funding To Study Human Health Impacts Of Leaking, Abandoned Conventional Oil & Gas Wells; Conventional Regulation Updates Delayed; Reports On Setback Petition By End Of 2026 [PaEN]

-- House Committee Approves Bill To Strengthen State Response To Spills Of Hazardous Substances After Energy Transfer/Sunoco Jet Fuel Pipeline Spill In Bucks County [PaEN]

-- Environmental Defense Fund: Rollback Of Federal Methane Emission Limits On Oil & Gas Facilities Have Wasted $4.8 Billion Worth Of Natural Gas That Could Have Served 22 Million Homes- And Counting [PaEN]

-- US Dept. Of Energy Cyber Threat Center Issues Another Warning To Oil & Gas Industry About Automatic Tank Gauge Manipulation By Malicious Cyber Threat Actors [PaEN]

-- In Case You Missed It: A.I./Data Center Articles - NewClips From Last Week - May 4 [PaEN]

-- PUC Adopts Voluntary Large Load, Data Center Tariff Framework To Help Protect Ratepayers [PaEN]

-- Environmental Defense Fund: PA Public Utility Commission Moves To Protect Consumers From A.I. Data Center Grid Costs: ‘The Stakes Are High Given The Scale And Speed Of Data Center-Driven Growth’ [PaEN]

-- Gov. Shapiro Appoints Mark Szybist New Special Counsel For Energy Affordability [PaEN]

-- Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Approves Extension Of PJM Capacity Auction Price Cap, Floor For Next 2 Auctions [PaEN]

-- Inquirer Guest Essay: Utility Shutoffs Pose Dire Risks To Families Unable To Afford Energy Bills - By David Taylor, Director Of Patient Advocacy, Drexel University College Of Medicine

-- Reuters: US Natural Gas Futures Hit 3-Week High As Output Falls And Companies Like EQT Cut Production Due To Low Spot Prices

-- Reuters: US Consumers Face Rising Electricity Prices Pushed By A.I. Data Center Demand, Rising Natural Gas Prices, Tariffs On Steel/Aluminum, While Benefits From Low-Cost Clean Power Capacity Emerge

-- Senate Committee Hears Electric Grid Issues Getting Worse; PJM Has Attracted 220 GW Of New Generation Proposals; PJM ‘Backstop’ Procurement Critical To Making Data Centers Pay For New Generation [PaEN]

-- WHYY - Susan Phillips: Gov. Shapiro Says Regulated Electric, Natural Gas, Water Utility System In PA Is ‘Broken’ In Letter To 24 Companies Laying Out New System To Rein In Corporate Profits

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak & Laura Legere: A.I. Data Center Power Demand May Extend Conemaugh, Keystone Coal-Fired Power Plant Operations, Jobs For Years - But At A Cost

-- PA House Energy Committee Sets May 4 Meeting To Act On More Bills To Address Electric Grid Reliability, Affordability Issues: Authorize Virtual Power Plants, More [PaEN]

-- PA House Passes Bill To Require A.I. Data Centers To Report Water Use, Discharges To DEP [PaEN]

-- PA Capital-Star: Electricity Grid Maps Could Speed Addition Of Renewable Energy To PA, PA House Panel Hears

-- AP: Building Trades Unions Emerge As Key Political Allies Of Tech Giants In Push For A.I. Data Centers [PA Highlighted]

-- DEP Citizens Advisory Council Meets May 12 For Presentations On A Data Center Guide From Chester, Montgomery Counties; PFAS ‘Forever Chemical’ Contamination In Biosolids [PaEN]

-- Concerned Citizens Of Montour County: Data Center Developer Wants To Make It Harder For Citizens To Appeal Zoning, Permits; DCED Secretary Explains More On How They Want New GRID Principles To Work [PaEN]

-- Montour County: What A.I. Data Center Developers Don’t Like In Zoning Ordinances: Decommissioning Safeguards For When Their Tech Becomes Obsolete; No Noise Limits On Diesel Generators; No Property Value Impact Studies [PaEN]