The Obama Administration’s Plan to Reduce Methane Emissions

Methane is a greenhouse gas with a warming potential 23 times greater than carbon dioxide. Methane emissions in the U.S., which contribute to climate change, increased three percent in 2013 over 2012, according to data released by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency EPA.

The oil and gas industry is responsible for many methane emissions through leaks. Methane leaks are polluting and expensive, costing the oil and gas industry almost $2 billion a year. Capturing and reusing methane gas saves money and provides a significant revenue stream. In January, the White House released a plan to reduce methane emissions from the oil and gas industry by 45 percent below 2012 levels by 2025. Just recently, the Administration has announced proposed rules for the oil and gas industry. 

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Photo: Steven Jenkins

Gina-Marie Cheeseman is a central California-based journalist who writes about sustainability, environmental issues, and healthy living. With a degree in journalism and a passion for social responsibility, she writes for a number of online publications. She believes that collaboration between the public and private sectors can help solve many problems facing the planet and its people. Mashable.com named Cheeseman as one of the “75 Environmentalists to Follow on Twitter.”