Dear John,

To turn the tide on climate change we need to tackle our largest and most potent sources of pollution. That’s why we’ve rallied climate activists like you to call for bold and immediate action on methane — a dangerous greenhouse gas that is responsible for a quarter of the warming that we are experiencing today. 

To address the issue of methane, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) just released an updated proposed rule to cut methane and other harmful pollutants from oil and gas operations across the U.S. It’s a big step forward that incorporates suggestions from environmental groups, communities, and others who commented on EPA’s last proposal. But to hit our climate goals we need EPA to go further, so we can ensure that we have the strongest methane safeguards possible.

Every day that passes without stronger methane rules is a missed opportunity to reduce climate and air pollution and safeguard the health of thousands of people across the country. 

Submit a public comment today and tell Administrator Regan to strengthen EPA’s proposal so we can hold our biggest polluters accountable.

Methane has more than 80 times the warming power of carbon dioxide over the first 20 years after it reaches the atmosphere. This accelerates the pace of climate change exponentially, worsening extreme weather, while harming the health of our families and communities in the process.

And while EPA’s updated proposal brings us closer to a cleaner, healthier future, it could be improved by:

• Ensuring that operators at wells capture associated gas and limit flaring of that gas to instances in which it is necessary for safety or maintenance reasons;
• Strengthening the standards to address emissions from storage tanks by making the standards applicable to more tanks; and
• Providing a clear pathway for communities and individuals to participate and engage in the Super Emitter Response Program, which is designed to quickly address very large leaks from the oil and gas industry, by ensuring that approved monitoring technologies and data are accessible to all.

Thanks to your support this year, EDF has been able to show strong support for stronger methane regulations generating thousands of emails, comments and petition signatures, but we need to keep the momentum going. Now is the time for the EPA to step up and provide the strongest protections possible!

Submit your public comment and help protect our climate and communities!

Let’s fight for a cleaner future,

Wes Rogerson
Manager, Grassroots Organizing & Activism