Liz Doherty, liz.doherty@sierraclub.org
Washington, DC -- Today, Senators Heinrich, King, and Markey and Senate Majority Leader Schumer introduced a resolution in the Senate and Representatives DeGette, Peters, and Lamb introduced a resolution in the House that would reinstate the Environmental Protection Agency's 2016 methane pollution safeguards.
By passing this resolution, Congress will ensure that no future administration could once again strip standards on methane pollution from oil and gas operations. This resolution is yet another critical step to undoing the previous administration’s efforts to weaken essential safeguards.
Once this resolution passes, the Biden administration can swiftly build on these standards by cutting methane pollution from new and existing oil and gas operations by 65 percent below 2012 levels in the next five years.
In response, Sierra Club Deputy Legislative Director Mahyar Sorour released the following statement:
“We applaud these Congressional champions for their steadfast commitment to reducing methane pollution from oil and gas development, and putting frontline communities, public health, and the climate first. We urge the Biden Administration to follow suit and adopt newly aggressive methane safeguards for all oil and gas sources, including both new and existing equipment. So much is on the line, and swift action is needed to prevent a worsening of the climate crisis.”
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.