Gabby Brown, gabby.brown@sierraclub.org
Washington, DC -- Today, the Environmental Protection Agency will host the first of three listening sessions to engage the public as they begin to craft new rules to tackle methane and associated pollution from new and existing oil and gas operations.
Under the Trump administration, EPA rolled back Obama-era limits on methane pollution from the oil and gas industry. In April, the Senate passed a resolution that would reinstate those 2016 safeguards, and the House is expected to vote on a similar resolution next week. Now, the Biden administration has an opportunity to expand on those protections.
Ahead of the first day of listening sessions, Sierra Club President Ramón Cruz, who will testify this afternoon, released the following statement:
“We have a lot to do to make up for the previous administration’s prolonged attack on climate and public health protections, and there’s no time to waste. Without swift federal action, methane and associated pollution from the oil and gas industry will continue to skyrocket, putting our health and the climate at risk. EPA must act now to curtail these emissions and to ensure the strongest possible safeguards against oil and gas pollution from new and existing equipment alike.
“For too long, those most affected by oil and gas development have been left out of decisions about what happens in their own backyards. EPA must listen to those voices and ensure that its safeguards against pollution from the oil and gas industry provide real benefits to overburdened communities and those suffering from the cumulative impacts of multiple environmental harms. The opportunity for EPA to act is here, and the time to collaborate with frontline communities is now. It's time to work together to achieve a safe and liveable planet for our communities and future generations.”
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.