The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of Energy (DOE) and DOE’s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) announced today the availability of up to $350 million in formula grant funding to help monitor and reduce methane emissions and for environmental restoration of well sites.
Methane is a deadly gas responsible climate change coming from the oil and gas sector. The funding, provided by the Biden Administration’s slightly bipartisan Inflation Reduction Act, will help or subsidize oil and gas well owners, as well as operators of applicable facilities, to reduce methane emissions voluntarily and permanently from leaks and daily operations of low-producing conventional wells on non-federal lands. It’s an awakened initiative taking breakthrough.
Through the Methane Emissions Reduction Program, EPA and DOE said it will help reduce inefficiencies of US oil and gas operations, create new jobs in energy communities, and realize near-term emission reductions – helping reach the nation’s ambitious climate and clean air goals.
“Thanks to President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, we now have unprecedented funding to cut methane pollution that is fueling the climate crisis,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “This investment will increase competition and help small and medium-sized producers compete on a more level playing field, create new good-paying jobs in energy communities, and support environmental restoration, making clear that strengthening our economy, tackling climate change, and protecting our communities go hand in hand,” Regan claimed.
“Methane is a much more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, so it’s crucial that we work closely with states and industry to develop solutions that will cut emissions at their source,” said US Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “Thanks to President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, DOE’s partnership with EPA will bolster our national efforts to monitor and mitigate methane emissions from the oil and gas sector – our largest source of industrial methane – while helping revitalize energy communities and delivering long-lasting health and environmental benefits across the country.”
This is the first in a series of funding opportunities through the Inflation Reduction Act that will target monitoring and reduction of methane emissions from the oil and gas sector. EPA and DOE plan to announce competitive funding opportunities following this non-competitive solicitation and have partnered to offer technical assistance to help industry monitor and reduce methane emissions from leaks and daily operations. This combination of technical and financial assistance is expected to help improve efficiency of US oil and gas operations and provide new economic opportunities in energy communities, as well as realize near-term emission reductions.
EPA Offers Grants to Cut Oil and Gas Well Methane Emissions
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of Energy (DOE) and DOE’s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) announced today the availability of up to $350 million in formula grant funding to help monitor and reduce methane emissions and for environmental restoration of well sites.
Methane is a deadly gas responsible climate change coming from the oil and gas sector. The funding, provided by the Biden Administration’s slightly bipartisan Inflation Reduction Act, will help or subsidize oil and gas well owners, as well as operators of applicable facilities, to reduce methane emissions voluntarily and permanently from leaks and daily operations of low-producing conventional wells on non-federal lands. It’s an awakened initiative taking breakthrough.
Through the Methane Emissions Reduction Program, EPA and DOE said it will help reduce inefficiencies of US oil and gas operations, create new jobs in energy communities, and realize near-term emission reductions – helping reach the nation’s ambitious climate and clean air goals.
“Thanks to President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, we now have unprecedented funding to cut methane pollution that is fueling the climate crisis,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “This investment will increase competition and help small and medium-sized producers compete on a more level playing field, create new good-paying jobs in energy communities, and support environmental restoration, making clear that strengthening our economy, tackling climate change, and protecting our communities go hand in hand,” Regan claimed.
“Methane is a much more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, so it’s crucial that we work closely with states and industry to develop solutions that will cut emissions at their source,” said US Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “Thanks to President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, DOE’s partnership with EPA will bolster our national efforts to monitor and mitigate methane emissions from the oil and gas sector – our largest source of industrial methane – while helping revitalize energy communities and delivering long-lasting health and environmental benefits across the country.”
This is the first in a series of funding opportunities through the Inflation Reduction Act that will target monitoring and reduction of methane emissions from the oil and gas sector. EPA and DOE plan to announce competitive funding opportunities following this non-competitive solicitation and have partnered to offer technical assistance to help industry monitor and reduce methane emissions from leaks and daily operations. This combination of technical and financial assistance is expected to help improve efficiency of US oil and gas operations and provide new economic opportunities in energy communities, as well as realize near-term emission reductions.