Last week, the U.S. Senate rejected an effort to overturn an Obama-era rule that regulates methane emissions. Three Republicans joined Senate Democrats in a 49-51 vote against the resolution to scrap the Bureau of Land Management’s Methane Waste and Prevention Rule.
The rule limits methane emissions from energy production sites on federal land. The vote is being hailed as an unexpected win for environmentalists under the Trump administration.
The methane being emitted – through either venting or flaring – is actually valuable to energy companies, says Matt Smith, director of commodity research at ClipperData.
“The reason for [venting and flaring] is because there just isn’t the infrastructure in place to capture this gas,” Smith says. “Because its in these more remote places, and because oil and gas is being drilled for at such a prolific rate.”
What you’ll hear in this segment:
– What current policies are in place regarding methane
– How much is lost per year
– Which state is has the biggest problem
