Clean Air Council Responds to DEP Climate Action Plan

Clean Air Council has major concerns regarding the lack of methane pollution regulation in the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s Climate Action Plan.

Clean Air Council Executive Director and Chief Counsel Joseph Otis Minott, Esq.:

“While RGGI is a good first step to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and avoid the worst effects of climate change, the more immediate need is to address methane emissions as urged by the recent IPCC report. The climate change potency of methane is such that it must be a priority in any climate plan. It’s 87 times more potent a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide over a 20 year time period.

DEP can substantially reduce methane emissions from oil and gas sites by including low producing wells in the soon to be announced existing source rule for oil and gas sites. Low producing wells contribute to half of PA’s methane emissions from oil and gas facilities and are currently exempted from PA’s upcoming rule to reduce methane pollution from the gas industry.”

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The Clean Air Council is a member- supported, non-profit environmental organization dedicated to protecting everyone’s right to breathe clean air. The Council is headquartered in Philadelphia and works through public education, community organizing, advocacy, and government oversight to ensure enforcement of environmental laws. For more information, please visit www.cleanair.org.