Addressing Methane Emissions from Distribution Sector

A letter from the Attorneys General of New York, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Vermont to the EPA urging the agency to regulate methane leaks from the natural gas distribution sector.

• The Attorneys General of seven states argue that the EPA must regulate methane leaks from the distribution sector to ensure that the global warming benefits of using natural gas combined cycle plants—a component of the proposed Clean Power Plan—are not undermined.
• The authors highlight that the EPA excluded the distribution sector from its 'Oil and Natural Gas Sector Leaks' white paper, despite a finding that leaks from this sector represent approximately 20 percent of all methane emissions from the production and delivery of oil and gas.
• A July 25, 2014, EPA Inspector General's report (No. 14-P-0324) found that methane leaks from distribution pipelines cost consumers roughly $192 million in 2011 and that these pipeline leaks account for about half of the distribution sector's total methane leaks.
• The EPA Inspector General concluded that industry voluntary efforts have not achieved meaningful methane emission reductions in the distribution sector, partly due to a financial disincentive for local distribution companies to repair leaks unless they pose a safety risk.
• Maryland, Massachusetts, and New York are identified as being particularly impacted by distribution line leaks; specifically, New York and Massachusetts rank second and third in the United States for the amount of wrought and cast iron distribution lines.

APA

Environmental and Energy Study Institute (2014). Addressing Methane Emissions from Distribution Sector. https://www.eesi.org/files/Final-States-letter-to-AA-McCabe-re-methane-leaks.pdf

Chicago

Environmental and Energy Study Institute. Addressing Methane Emissions from Distribution Sector. 2014. https://www.eesi.org/files/Final-States-letter-to-AA-McCabe-re-methane-leaks.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Environmental and Energy Study Institute |title=Addressing Methane Emissions from Distribution Sector |date=12 September 2014 |url=https://www.eesi.org/files/Final-States-letter-to-AA-McCabe-re-methane-leaks.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{environmentalandenergystudyinstitute2014addressing, author = {{Environmental and Energy Study Institute}}, title = {{Addressing Methane Emissions from Distribution Sector}}, publisher = {Environmental and Energy Study Institute}, year = {2014}, month = sep, url = {https://www.eesi.org/files/Final-States-letter-to-AA-McCabe-re-methane-leaks.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }