Even while the Trump Administration attempts to repeal federal protections on oil and gas methane emissions, states are moving forward. Last June, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf delivered on a key promise, enacting general permit conditions for new well sites and major emissions sources in the midstream sector. As the second-largest gas producing state in the nation, this move is critical not only for the tons of pollution it will prevent from escaping into the atmosphere but also for its value in demonstrating that methane solutions are both cost-effective and politically feasible. Governor Wolf has also committed to proposing new rules for existing sources in 2018, protections that are sorely needed to ensure pollution from the roughly 70,000 wells already operating in the Commonwealth do not go unaddressed.
Pennsylvania Adopts Permitting Measures for New Well Sites to Limit Methane Emissions
"Governor Wolf has faced some tough opposition, notably in the state legislature—but he has come through on this important commitment. It’s a testament to his tenacity and a proof point that, even in a state that depends on traditional energy industries, voters care about climate."
Mark Brownstein,
EDF Associate Vice President