A Climate Action Summit About Solutions For The Methane Emissions In Cow Burps. According to Forbes, “As society sorts through its response to the threat of Climate Change, much of the attention is on ways to generate more renewable energy and “electrification” of the transport sector. There are many other challenges and opportunities for Climate Action including one which involves strategies to deal with the greenhouse gas emissions that come from cow burps. While that may sound absurd or comical it is actually important. There are bacteria that live in the complex digestive system of cows and other ruminants that can generate methane, a gas which the animal then burps into the atmosphere. Methane has 18-24 times the warming effect of carbon dioxide for the first 10 to 12 years after its emission and is responsible for around 30% of global warming since the industrial revolution. 60% of current global methane emissions are from human activity and cow burps represent 28% of that load.” [Forbes, 5/11/23 (=)]
EPA: New Pollution Limits Proposed For US Coal, Gas Power Plants Reflect 'Urgency' Of Climate Crisis. According to the Washington Post, “The Biden administration proposed new limits Thursday on greenhouse gas emissions from coal- and gas-fired power plants, its most ambitious effort yet to roll back planet-warming pollution from the nation’s second-largest contributor to climate change. A rule announced by the Environmental Protection Agency could force power plants to capture smokestack emissions using a technology that has long been promised but is not used widely in the United States…The proposal comes weeks after the administration announced strict new tailpipe pollution limits that would require up to two-thirds of new vehicles sold in the U.S. to be electric by 2032 and months after Biden announced rules to curb methane leaks from oil and gas wells.” [Washington Post, 5/11/23 (=)]
Biden Power Plant Plan Gives Industry Time, Options for Cutting Climate Pollution. According to Inside Climate News, “President Joe Biden’s administration on Thursday unveiled its long-awaited plan for tackling power plant carbon pollution—a complex and politically fraught effort that is the foundation for all other efforts to quell the climate crisis. Without carbon-free power, it won’t be possible to cut greenhouse gas pollution from vehicles, buildings or industry. But fossil fuel industry allies in both Congress and the states are ready to push back, using essentially the same argument they have used for years: the technology is not ready. They have the advantage of a Supreme Court dominated by Republican-appointed justices who favor limiting the historical role of regulatory agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency.” [Inside Climate News, 5/11/23 (=)]
4 Energy Issues To Watch With EPA's Power Plant Rule. According to Politico, “The fledgling carbon capture and hydrogen industries are eyeing a decadeslong boost if a new EPA proposal on power sector emissions passes muster in the courts. The nearly 700-page proposal unveiled Thursday is a sweeping crackdown on coal and natural gas emissions with requirements that may force power companies to install carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology or co-fire with hydrogen. It’s a complicated approach that carves out specific requirements for plants based on fuel source, fuel volume and retirement plans. Announcing the proposal at the University of Maryland, EPA Administrator Michael Regan said climate change and more destructive weather patterns have created ‘a pivotal point in human history.’” [Politico, 5/12/23 (=)]
Oil And Gas Production Causes 7,500 Deaths Per Year — Study. According to Politico, “Pollution from U.S. oil and gas production caused 7,500 excess deaths and 2,200 new cases of childhood asthma in a single year, according to a new study from researchers at Boston University, the University of North Carolina, PSE Healthy Energy and the Environmental Defense Fund. The study — published this week in Environmental Research: Health — analyzed the health impacts of the nitrogen oxides, fine particulate matter and ozone stemming from upstream production, or the drilling and extraction of oil and gas. Researchers found that the pollution contributed to $77 billion in adverse health impacts in 2016 and resulted in 410,000 asthma attacks, as well as adverse pregnancy outcomes and respiratory and cardiovascular-related hospitalizations.” [Politico, 5/12/23 (=)]
Manchin Eyes Vote On Permitting Bill This Summer. According to the Washington Post, “Sen. Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va.) said yesterday he would aim to bring permitting legislation to the Senate floor before the August recess, offering an ambitious timeline for overhauling the nation’s approval process for energy projects. ‘We’re intending to get this bill and have a bill on the floor before we have a recess this summer,’ Manchin said during a hearing held by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, which he chairs. ‘That’s pretty aggressive. We’re going to get it done.’ However, it remains unclear whether lawmakers can overcome significant differences on permitting in the coming months. While the White House has voiced support for Manchin’s permitting bill, which would set two-year time limits on environmental reviews for major projects, Republicans have backed other proposals that would expedite fossil fuel infrastructure.” [Washington Post, 5/12/23 (=)]