New rules proposed by President Barack Obama’s administration would slash methane emissions from oil and gas producers by up to 45% in ten years, the White House announced on Wednesday, part of an overall strategy using executive action to limit greenhouse gasses believed to be causing climate change.
The Environmental Protection Agency will propose a rule this summer limiting the greenhouse gas, with a final regulation coming a year later.
The rule will call for between 40% and 45% reduction of methane emissions from the oil and gas industry by 2025. Methane accounts for 10% of the United States’ total greenhouse gas emissions; 30% of U.S. methane emissions originate from producing and transmitting oil or natural gas — the rest comes from agriculture, landfills and coal plants.
Scientists say methane is a more powerful greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, which is released at a higher rate in the U.S., more effective at trapping heat and further aggravating warming trends.
Obama has been vocal in his plans to bypass Congress in his climate agenda after attempts at a legislative solution faltered earlier in his presidency. He’s used his authority under the Clean Air Act to limit emissions in other industries, including at coal plants and in cars and trucks.
Officials on Wednesday said they don’t have an estimate for how much the new methane rules would cost, but said they were “confident” the rules could be administrated in a cost effective manner.
“We are in the process of developing these standards. we don’t have sharp estimates of costs until we’re a little bit down the track here,” said Dan Utech, Obama’s top aide handling energy and climate change.