Dems Pressure Agency To Finish Pipeline Methane Rule – “Dozens of Senate and House Democrats are urging the Biden administration to finalize a critical pipeline methane rule as soon as possible — perhaps before former President Donald Trump potentially returns to the White House. Led by Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico and Rep. Scott Peters of California, the letter signed by 40 Democrats asks the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration to finalize a draft rule that could aggressively go after methane leaks from the nation's natural gas pipelines.” [Politico, 7/17/24 (=)]
Methane Emissions Are The Low-Hanging Fruit Of The Climate Transition – “Methane is well known for coming from ruminants digestive system. What is less known is its important role in current climate change and what we could do to drastically reduce our emissions. Methane (CH4) is the second main greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide (CO2). However, while CO2 will persist in the atmosphere for centuries, methane reacts with other air molecules. The lifetime of methane in the atmosphere is approximately nine years, before it is consumed into CO2. CH4 molecules also have a much stronger warming potential than carbon dioxide: 84 times larger on a 20-year time scale. That’s why reducing methane emissions can have immediate and relatively effective impact on our climate.” [The Conversation, 7/18/24 (=)]
How Much Methane Seeps Out Of Oregon Landfills? – “Earlier this year, the Washington state Department of Ecology wrote new rules to regulate methane emissions from landfills that surpass federal emission regulations set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Oregon’s Department of Environmental Quality wrote its own rules in 2021 and has been collecting data from landfills for the last two years. About 30% of today’s global warming is driven by methane. Heather Kuoppamaki, senior environmental engineer at DEQ, joins us to share what we know about methane emissions from Oregon’s landfills.” [Oregon Public Broadcasting, 7/17/24 (=)]