Lauren Lantry, lauren.lantry@sierraclub.org
Pittsburgh, PA -- Today in his speech at the “Shale Insight Convention” in Pittsburgh, while touting the 28 environmental rollbacks taken since Trump took office, Acting EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler told fracking corporations that “Methane is valuable. It is your main product not a byproduct, or perhaps the Sierra Club does understand that and they're trying to do to you what they did to the coal industry.” Among other notable speakers was Andree Griffin, the Vice President Geology and Geophysics at Exxonmobil/XTO Energy.
In his speech, Wheeler waited a half hour to mention climate change and when he did he took credit for the work of the climate safeguards -- including methane pollution from fracked shale gas -- that he is currently trying to gut.
In response Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune released the following statement:
“Wheeler has forgotten who he represents -- the American people, not big polluters. Wheeler’s job is to protect our families from big polluters, not to protect big polluters from our families.
“The Sierra Club, scientists, and Americans know quite clearly that the deadly pollutant methane is the main component of gas, which is why we’ve worked tirelessly to safeguard our communities from it. Wheeler’s time would be better spent appreciating the work the EPA had already been doing to safeguard communities against methane, rather than spewing hot air.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3 million members and supporters. In addition to helping people from all backgrounds explore nature and our outdoor heritage, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.