Testimony of Lee Geisse at EPA Hearing on Methane Standards
The BlueGreen Alliance's Lee Geisse testified at an U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) hearing on July 10, 2017 to oppose an effort to delay standards for new and modified sources of methane in the oil and gas industry and to urge the administration to move forward with these and other common-sense efforts to reduce methane emissions.
While the nation’s energy sector has made significant strides to increase the efficiency of our natural gas systems in recent years, leaking methane continues to harm the economy and the environment. The energy sector leaks dangerous and wasteful pollutants into our air from oil and natural gas wells, pipelines, tanks and other equipment. These can be due to accidental releases, but often are due to outmoded practices and obsolete technology.
In Ohio alone, natural gas producers reported wasting more than 13,000 metric tons of methane. This is enough natural gas to heat nearly 8,500 Ohio homes and this number is likely an underestimate because only large oil and gas operations are required to report their emissions, but methane leaks can occur from wells and equipment of all sizes. Reducing methane leaks in the oil and gas sector will cut down on this waste while creating quality jobs, protecting workers and helping address climate change.
Read Lee’s full testimony by clicking the download button below.