Commonsense Limits on Methane Waste Restored

A Bi-Partisan Success Story

While natural gas burns cleaner and can produce less pollution than coal, this is only true if operators take commonsense steps to cut their upstream emissions of methane, a powerful climate change pollutant and the primary ingredient of natural gas.

Unfortunately, a significant portion of gas production is plagued by irresponsible producers who, instead of following best practices, are allowing huge quantities of methane to leak into the air. This not only causes unnecessary pollution, it is a complete waste of American energy. Strong standards were in place to prevent such waste, but these were inexplicably eliminated during the last administration—eliminated despite the fact that leading oil and gas companies such as BP, Shell, and EQT favor such standards, recognizing that an industry dependent on being cleaner than coal cannot afford to have irresponsible bad actors undermining that reputation.

To restore the much needed methane standards, a Congressional Review Act resolution was introduced in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. The Senate passed it with a bi-partisan majority vote in April. The House followed suit in June, also with a solid bipartisan majority. The Republicans in the House who stepped up to restore these standards were Representatives. Fitzpatrick (PA), Gaetz (FL), Garbarino (NY), Katko (NY), Kim (CA), Mace (SC), Mast (FL), Meijer (MI), Reed (NY), Salazar (FL), Upton (MI), and Van Drew (NJ). Kudos to them, and all of the members of Congress who voted to prevent the needless waste of American energy and safeguard our planet from harmful pollution that harms our health and our atmosphere.

There is nothing conservative about being wasteful. CRS is gratified that its work to get this resolution passed in both the U.S. House and Senate, and ultimately signed into law by the President Biden, has turned out to be a great bipartisan success story. If any of these House members represent you, be sure to thank them for this important vote.