For Immediate Release
April 15, 2015
WE ACT for Environmental Justice, 212-961-1000 ext. 320
WASHINGTON, D.C. – A new goal to cut methane emissions from oil and gas production by up to 45 percent by 2025 was announced this morning by the Obama Administration. This announcement is a part of a series of actions laid out in the President’s Climate Action Plan. The strategy outlined by the administration includes setting new standards for methane – a greenhouse gas about 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide – and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emissions from new and modified sources; new guidelines to reduce ozone forming pollutants, enhancing the current leak detection, reporting and repair; and, voluntary industry programs. Dr. Jalonne L. White-Newsome,WE ACT’s Federal Policy Analyst issued the following statement:
“We are pleased that the Administration is pushing efforts that will support low income, communities of color and Indigenous Peoples who are literally living next door to these operations that emit large amounts of methane. But we can do more. By following New York’s footsteps, we can protect our high risk communities and reduce fossil fuel emissions. The State of New York Health Department banned high volume fracturing due to the significant uncertainties about the health outcomes New Yorkers might face with this unregulated process. They put the health of New Yorkers first, and President Obama needs to put the health of the nation first. Let’s spend less time expanding fossil fuel development and more time plugging up the existing holes in the infrastructure, minimizing dependency on fossil fuels, expanding opportunities for renewable energy, and insuring that more enforcement happens at the local level reduce other sources of air toxins in our communities.”