Ada Recinos, Deputy Press Secretary, ada.recinos@sierraclub.org (Pacific Time)
WASHINGTON, DC – The Sierra Club applauds the introduction of the Methane Border Adjustment Mechanism Act, a vital legislative step towards addressing the critical issue of methane emissions. The Act highlights the urgent need to mitigate methane's impact on climate and public health. By imposing a fee on imported methane-intensive products ripe for innovation, the Act seeks to ratchet down methane emissions without increasing prices for consumers. This positions the United States as a global leader in climate-forward trade policy.
“Congresswoman Brownley’s Methane Border Adjustment Mechanism Act is a win for global climate justice, workers, and innovation. At a key moment, her bill has identified a revenue generator that rewards the US for environmental standards and punishes polluters for heating the planet. Perhaps most significantly, the bill includes a framework to protect the competitiveness of manufacturing breakthroughs fostered by the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law by extending the methane fee to industry. This is a crucial step to decarbonize and modernize sectors like steelmaking and fertilizer,” said Harry Manin, Sierra Club’s Deputy Legislative Director of Industrial Policy & Trade.
"By enacting the Methane Border Adjustment Mechanism Act, we are taking a bold step towards a sustainable future. This legislation not only combats one of the most potent greenhouse gasses but also positions America as a leader in global trade and climate action. It exemplifies our commitment to protecting the environment while fostering international cooperation and innovation," said CeCe Grant, Sierra Club’s Industrial Transformation.
The introduction of the Methane Border Adjustment Mechanism Act comes on the heels of Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism proposals, which the Sierra Club analyzed in its December white paper.
Background
Methane, with about 80 times the warming power of carbon dioxide over a 20-year period, is a significant contributor to global warming. Estimates indicate that methane emissions account for at least 25% of the rise in global temperatures since the industrial revolution. It also contributes to the formation of ground-level ozone and particulate pollution, leading to various cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.
Because the United States is already making strides to reduce the methane-intensity of domestic oil and gas—and thus of industrial sectors that use oil and gas as a feedstock—through the EPA’s Methane Emissions Reduction Program, the Methane Border Adjustment Mechanism Act rewards compliance and US leadership. Furthermore, the Act underscores the importance of international collaboration in establishing interoperable standards and a certification process to track emissions throughout supply chains, so industry and foreign countries will be able to readily participate.
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of 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.