EPA’s Proposed Standards for New Sources of Methane Pollution: Still a Good First Step

The Clean Air Task Force views the EPA's proposed methane standards for new and modified oil and gas sources as a positive first step but argues they are insufficient to meet national greenhouse gas reduction targets. While praising the direct regulation of methane under the Clean Air Act and the implementation of leak detection and repair (LDAR) requirements, CATF recommends mandating controls for omitted equipment like liquids unloading operations and increasing LDAR inspection frequency. Crucially, the document highlights that the proposal fails to address existing sources, which are projected to account for 90 percent of methane emissions by 2018.

• The EPA's proposed standards aim to reduce methane emissions from the oil and gas industry through four primary methods: implementing leak detection and repair (LDAR) requirements, proposing emission standards for sources previously covered by 2012 volatile organic compounds (VOC) standards, extending standards to transmission and storage sources, and limiting methane venting during oil well completions.
• CATF identifies several gaps in the proposal's equipment coverage, noting that low-cost controls exist for omitted items including storage vessels, compressors at well sites, intermittent pneumatic controllers, and liquids unloading operations.
• The proposed leak detection and repair (LDAR) standards for compressor stations and well sites are considered too lenient; CATF recommends increasing inspection frequency to a monthly or quarterly basis to drive technological advancement and emissions reductions.
• The draft rule is deemed insufficient to meet the US national emissions goal of a 45% reduction by 2025 because it does not address existing sources. By 2018, 90 percent of methane emissions are expected to originate from oil and gas facilities that were operational in 2011, which are exempt from both the 2012 and the proposed new standards.

APA

Schroeder, D., & Smith, S. (2015). EPA’s Proposed Standards for New Sources of Methane Pollution: Still a Good First Step. Clean Air Task Force. https://www.catf.us/2015/12/epas-proposed-standards-for-new-sources-of-methane-pollution-still-a-good-first-step/

Chicago

Schroeder, Darin, and Sarah Smith. EPA’s Proposed Standards for New Sources of Methane Pollution: Still a Good First Step. Clean Air Task Force, 2015. https://www.catf.us/2015/12/epas-proposed-standards-for-new-sources-of-methane-pollution-still-a-good-first-step/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Schroeder |first1=Darin |last2=Smith |first2=Sarah |title=EPA’s Proposed Standards for New Sources of Methane Pollution: Still a Good First Step |publisher=Clean Air Task Force |date=3 December 2015 |url=https://www.catf.us/2015/12/epas-proposed-standards-for-new-sources-of-methane-pollution-still-a-good-first-step/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{schroeder2015epas, author = {Schroeder, Darin and Smith, Sarah}, title = {{EPA’s Proposed Standards for New Sources of Methane Pollution: Still a Good First Step}}, publisher = {Clean Air Task Force}, year = {2015}, month = dec, url = {https://www.catf.us/2015/12/epas-proposed-standards-for-new-sources-of-methane-pollution-still-a-good-first-step/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }