EPA expands industry partnership to reduce methane emissions

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently began the new Natural Gas STAR Methane Challenge Program, involving 41 different founding partner companies tied to the gas and oil sector.

This challenge program is part of the Obama administration’s continued commitment to protect public health and prevent climate change. The program builds on the voluntary Natural Gas STAR Program, which involves the U.S. oil and natural gas industry with the EPA in targeting emissions.

The goal is to effectively decrease methane emissions by using natural gas instead. Methane is approximately 25 times more powerful than carbon dioxide in contributing to climate change.

“To protect public health and combat climate change, today, we are expanding our voluntary partnerships to reduce methane emissions from the oil and gas sector through our new Methane Challenge program, which is a platform for companies to transparently report actions to reduce methane emissions and to be publicly recognized as leaders in reducing methane emissions in the United States,” EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy said. “The voluntary Methane Challenge program is one important part of our overarching strategy to reduce methane emissions, and complements regulatory efforts that will help the United States meet the Obama administration’s goal of reducing methane emissions by 40 to 45 percent by 2025.”