Gabby Brown, gabby.brown@sierraclub.org
Washington, DC -- Today, legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives that would restore commonsense safeguards, currently under attack by the Trump administration, that limit methane pollution from the oil and gas industry. Methane is a greenhouse gas that is 87 times more potent than carbon dioxide during the time it remains in the atmosphere.
The “Methane Waste Prevention Act of 2019” was introduced by Representative Diana DeGette, along with Representatives Raul Grijalva, Ben Ray Luján, Deb Haaland, and Alan Lowenthal.
In response, Sierra Club Associate Legislative Director Matthew Gravatt released the following statement:
“Methane pollution from the oil and gas industry poses a dire threat to our climate and communities. The Trump administration has repeatedly abdicated its duty to address that threat, instead attempting to give fossil fuel companies free rein to pollute as much as they want with no regard for the climate or public health. The Methane Waste Prevention Act is an important step towards restoring commonsense methane pollution safeguards, and we applaud Representatives DeGette, Grijalva, Luján, Haaland, and Lowenthal for their leadership in protecting our families from dangerous air pollution.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.5 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, 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.