Casten Proposes Legislation to Help Limit US Methane Emissions
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Representative Sean Casten (IL-06) reintroduced the Methane Emissions Mitigation Research and Development Act to establish a program for the research, development and demonstration of technologies and methods that would detect and mitigate emissions.
“Cutting methane emissions is one of the most effective ways we have to fight climate change,” said Rep. Casten. “This bill will advance innovation in the detection and mitigation of methane emissions and get us on the path to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.”
Methane is one of the leading contributors to greenhouse gasses and has 80 times the warming power of carbon dioxide. Up to 30% of today’s global warming is driven by methane emitted as a result of human activity. With the United States being the world’s leading producer of oil and gas, there is a unique opportunity to lead the global community in reducing methane emissions.
The Methane Emissions Mitigation Research and Development Act will require the Department of Energy (DOE), in consultation with the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Commerce, to:
- carry out a program of research, development, and demonstration for technologies and methods that detect, quantify, and mitigate methane emissions;
- enter into cooperative agreements with state and local governments, institutions of higher education, and for-profit entities to provide technical assistance to prevent and respond to methane releases, and protect public health in the event of a major methane release;
- establish a publicly-accessible resource for best practices in the evaluation and incorporation of emission reduction technologies;
- identify the characteristics of pipelines, wells, storage facilities and other key factors that significantly increase the likelihood and intensity of methane leaks;
- identify methane mitigation methods and technologies relevant for coal mines;
- quantify and map significant geologic methane seeps and other natural sources of methane emissions;
- establish and operate a Methane Emissions Measurement and Mitigation Research Consortium to support data sharing and research into methane leak detection and mitigation, with the consortium sunsetting within ten years; and
- report annually to Congress on the implementation of this law.
Text of the bill can be found here.
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