Shannon Van Hoesen, shannon.vanhoesen@sierraclub.org
Washington, DC - Today, the Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency announced $850 million in funding to reduce methane pollution from the oil and gas industry through the Methane Emissions Reduction Program (MERP). The awards are for projects led by agencies, tribes, states, communities, and industry to track and mitigate methane leaks.
MERP is a program created through the Inflation Reduction Act and designed to complement the EPA’s methane standards. By providing financial support upfront, this funding will help smaller operators comply with the methane standards, further improve mitigation technologies, help states and tribes speed up compliance with their methane standard implementation plans, and improve measurement and monitoring data.
In reaction, Sierra Club Director of Beyond Fossil Fuels Policy Mahyar Sorour, released the following statement:
“Cutting methane pollution is a critical component of any plan to tackle climate change and improve public health. In order to actually achieve this necessary goal, people within the industry, local agencies, and communities near oil and gas operations must be able to track, monitor, and stop methane leaks at the source. We are grateful to the Biden administration for investing in this critical program to protect communities and the planet.”
###
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.