Federal Pipeline Agency Rolls Out Methane Proposal. According to Politico, “Federal pipeline regulators Friday formally proposed their first regulations to crack down on natural gas leaks from pipelines to reduce pollution and the effects of climate change. ‘Quick detection of methane leaks is an important way to keep communities safe and help curb climate change’ Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement Friday. "We are proposing a long-overdue modernization of the way we identify and fix methane leaks, thereby reducing emissions and strengthening protections for the American people." The proposal would cover the 2.7 million miles of transmission, distribution and other pipelines under the jurisdiction of the Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration. It would also cover underground natural gas storage facilities and liquefied natural gas facilities.” [Politico, 5/5/23 (=)]
Democrats Argued That The Council Must Require Agencies To Conduct A Rigorous Analysis Of Gas Projects’ Methane Emissions. “In their letter, the Democrats argued that the council must require agencies to conduct a rigorous analysis of gas projects’ methane emissions. Methane, the main component of natural gas, is roughly 86 times more effective at trapping heat than carbon dioxide during its first 20 years in the atmosphere. If the oil and gas industry doesn’t do more to limit methane leaks, LNG could be more harmful than coal in the short term, some climate scientists have found. In addition, the Democrats urged the council to establish a “cross-agency team” to assess the climate impacts of any planned LNG build out. They wrote that participants should include the Energy Department, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The Energy Department last month approved LNG exports from a roughly $39 billion planned project in Alaska. If completed, the project would export up to 20 million metric tons of gas per year starting in 2030.” [Washington Post, 5/8/23 (=)]
EPA Seeks Input On $4B To Slash Air Pollution At Ports. According to Politico, “EPA is gathering information that will help steer billions of dollars in federal funds to clean up ports and heavy transportation. The Inflation Reduction Act gave EPA $3 billion to spend on new technology to cut emissions at ports, and an additional $1 billion to clean up trucks and other heavy-duty transportation equipment. The Clean Ports Program aims to boost investments for zero-emission port technologies to improve air quality and reduce climate-inducing and other air pollution. The heavy-duty trucks program aims to help replace current heavy-duty vehicles with zero-emission vehicles.” [Politico, 5/5/23 (=)]