Complete list of press releases

EDF Applauds President Obama’s Historic Signing of Strong New Toxic Chemicals Law

President’s Signing of the Lautenberg Act Marks Biggest Environmental Overhaul in Two Decades

(June 22, 2016)  Today, President Obama signed the Lautenberg Act into law, the first major environmental legislation in two decades. The legislation, which updates the 40-year-old Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), will provide vital new protections for American families from hazardous chemicals found in everything from clothing to couches to cleaners.

“With his signature today, President Obama set us on a course for a less toxic America,” said EDF President Fred Krupp. “For too long we have allowed unfettered use of chemicals linked to cancer, Parkinson’s, and other serious health problems. While it will take time and a lot of work to clean up this 40-year-old mess, this and future generations will see real benefits because of this historic law.”

“President Obama’s signature today launches a new law that will help to improve public health for years to come,” said Dr. Richard Denison, EDF lead senior scientist.  “While not perfect, the Lautenberg Act fixes the biggest problems with a badly broken law that has left our health at risk. Now the hard work must begin: tending to decades of neglect when it comes to unreviewed and unregulated chemicals.”

Science has linked some chemicals used in everyday products such as household cleaners, clothing and furniture to serious illnesses, including cancer, infertility, diabetes and Parkinson’s. Yet TSCA hadn’t been updated for 40 years and was so weak that only a small fraction of the thousands of chemicals used in products have ever been reviewed for safety. The old law left EPA virtually powerless to ensure the safety of common chemicals—or even to restrict known hazards, including asbestos, lead and formaldehyde. The failures of the old law undercut consumer confidence in the safety of everyday products, leading many businesses to support a national system even if that means tougher regulation.

“The historic moment at the White House today should give everyone hope—not only for better protections from toxic chemicals, but also for progress on other seemingly intransigent problems in Washington,” said Elizabeth Thompson, EDF Vice President for Political Affairs. “Make no mistake, the road to TSCA reform was not easy. It required years of hard work both in Washington and around the country to get this strong bill to President Obama. But we should take heart in the fact that Members of Congress and stakeholders from all sides were able to put aside differences, work hard to find the common ground and deliver a major advance for public health.”

The success of the bill is due to the tireless efforts of Members of Congress who worked hard to get this bill to the president’s desk, including Senators Tom Udall, David Vitter, Jim Inhofe, Barbara Boxer, Tom Carper, Ed Markey, Sheldon Whitehouse, Jeff Merkley, Cory Booker, and Dick Durbin and Representatives John Shimkus, Frank Pallone, Fred Upton, Diana DeGette, Gene Green, Steny Hoyer, Leader Nancy Pelosi, Speaker Paul Ryan and many more.

The Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21^st Century Act (HR 2576) is the product of three years of negotiations, begun by its namesake, the late public health champion, Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ).

Both the House and Senate passed the bill with overwhelming bipartisan support. In May, the White House made its support known with a strong Statement of Administration Policy  calling the Lautenberg Act “landmark reform” and “an historic advancement for both chemical safety and environmental law.”

(RALEIGH, NC – June 22, 2016) – The North Carolina Senate will vote today on House Bill 593 Amend Environmental and Other Laws. Section 4 of this bill dramatically increases the amount of stream destruction allowable without offsetting mitigation, extending the threshold for mitigation from 150 to 300 feet of impact.

In addition to extending the threshold for mitigation, the bill also changes the standard to only require mitigation of additional impacts beyond the new 300-foot threshold. For example, a development project that impacts 301 feet of stream would only require 1 foot of mitigation, instead of the total 301-foot impact.

“This legislation would allow nearly a football field of stream length to be destroyed without requiring any mitigation,” said Will McDow, director of habitat markets at Environmental Defense Fund (EDF).

EDF has been working with the mitigation industry and North Carolina’s Department of Mitigation Services to enhance quantification of stream functions and restoration projects.  

“If enacted, this policy change would not only open the door to significant environmental harm but would also significantly reduce demand for the mitigation and restoration services currently provided by North Carolina’s robust private sector mitigation market,” McDow said.

John Preyer is co-founder and president of Restoration Systems, a Raleigh-based company that provides mitigation needed for regulatory compliance for development related impacts to wetlands, streams and riparian buffers.

“Regulatory certainty is crucial to our work and to North Carolina’s economy. House Bill 593 removes that certainty and threatens to undermine the environmental mitigation industry in North Carolina,” Preyer said. “By doubling the amount of stream which can be destroyed without requiring offsetting mitigation, this bill would dramatically cut the market for mitigation, putting North Carolina’s jobs, economy and environment at great risk.”

After the North Carolina Senate votes today, the bill will move to the North Carolina House for a vote in the coming weeks.

“North Carolina’s current mitigation policy has created a friendly business climate, a private restoration industry and an efficient means to protect North Carolina’s waterways,” said McDow. “HB 593 not only jeopardizes our state’s waterways, but also the livelihoods of those who work to protect them.”

(NEW YORK – June 21, 2016) The Westchester County Legislature today unanimously passed an important bill to rid the county’s buildings of soot pollution from dirty No. 6 and No. 4 heating oils. As highly polluting fuel sources, No. 6 and No. 4 heating oils are hugely harmful to public health and the environment – not to mention, bad for building efficiency. This legislation was inspired by New York City’s successful NYC Clean Heat program, which helped buildings switch to cleaner fuels and led to the cleanest air NYC has seen in the last fifty years. Westchester County can benefit from the lessons learned in New York City, and enact rules to phase out residual heating oil over time.

“This is an enormous win for residents of Westchester County’s health and wallets. Phasing out dirty heating fuels will dramatically improve Westchester County’s air quality while encouraging buildings to upgrade their own efficiency and save money in the long run.”

• Abbey Brown, Clean Energy Project Manager, Environmental Defense Fund

For more information on this announcement, see our blog post on the Energy Exchange.

(New Orleans, LA – June 21, 2016) This week, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell is visiting Louisiana to highlight the Department’s restoration projects selected for funding last year by the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council (Council) prior to the BP settlement.

Leading national and local conservation organizations working on Mississippi River Delta and Gulf Coast restoration – Environmental Defense Fund, National Audubon Society, the National Wildlife Federation, Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana and Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation – supported these projects and released the following statement:

“We are grateful that Secretary Jewell is here this week to spotlight the region and these important restoration projects. Secretary Jewell now has an opportunity and responsibility to drive large-scale restoration that we need across the Gulf Coast. With real money becoming available through the BP oil spill settlement, Secretary Jewell, along with other agency and state leaders, has a specific window to move forward the Council’s commitment to large-scale projects that will set the Gulf Coast on a long-term path to a sustainable future.

“In particular, Louisiana’s land loss crisis – and the effort to stop and reverse it – falls within the Department of the Interior’s jurisdiction given the resources it’s tasked with protecting. We appreciate the Secretary’s personal investment in getting restoration projects started on the ground and need her continued leadership and commitment in Louisiana and across the Gulf Coast.”

The Department of Interior (DOI) manages three parks or refuges in the lower Mississippi River Delta, one each in the Breton Basin, the active Bird’s Foot Delta, and the Barataria Basin, as well as several other refuges in the Pontchartrain Basin, Terrebonne Basin, the Atchafalaya Basin, and the Chenier Plain. These provide some of the continent’s most important habitat for DOI Trust Resources, including alligators, alligator snapping turtles, diamond-back terrapins, marsh birds, wintering waterfowl, colonial nesting water birds, migratory stopover habitat for neotropical migrants, and prime habitat for mink, muskrat, otter and Louisiana black bears. All are likely to experience profound effects from continued land loss and subsidence, and without land-building restoration measures are potentially doomed by future sea level rise. 

(SAN FRANCISCO – June 21, 2016) Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) announced today it will no longer seek an extension of the 20-year license required for its Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant. The joint agreement outlines a multi-year, zero-carbon replacement strategy for California’s last remaining nuclear power plant. The strategy emphasizes renewables and energy efficiency, and comes with potential savings to PG&E customers of at least $1 billion, according to estimates from the Natural Resources Defense Council.

“Today’s announcement articulates a cost-effective, balanced phase-out of the Diablo Canyon nuclear facility that is good for Californians and firmly supports the state’s clean energy future. By making this commitment, PG&E confirms California customers will be better – and more affordably – served by a mix of clean energy resources, including renewable energy and energy efficiency.

“California’s energy vision is grounded in a diverse array of low-carbon resources that fit the needs of a modern, flexible electric grid. This critical step strengthens the reliability of our energy system and opens up new opportunities for California’s abundant and growing clean energy sector.”   

          ·         Jayant Kairam, Interim California Director, Clean Energy

The White House issued over 30 executive actions and private-sector commitments yesterday to accelerate the grid integration of renewable energy and storage. Together, these announcements are expected to result in at least 1.3 gigawatts of additional energy storage procurement or deployment over the next five years and potentially lead to $1 billion in investments.

“From solar and wind to smart energy storage and management, we have the technology to transform our country’s energy system in ways that cut pollution, save money, create local jobs, and improve quality of life. This effort is yet another great example of the Obama Administration’s continued clean energy leadership. Smart, forward-thinking policy decisions and investments like these will deliver tremendous benefits to Americans, businesses, and the environment.”

• Jim Marston, Vice President, US Climate and Energy, Environmental Defense Fund

NEWS RELEASE

(Washington, D.C. – June 16, 2016) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed the details of the Clean Energy Incentive Program today, a voluntary component of EPA’s historic Clean Power Plan. The Program is designed to provide additional incentive for early deployment of clean energy and energy efficiency by providing matching credits for investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency measures in low-income communities. After extensive discussions with states and local governments, tribes, utilities, community groups and others, EPA is releasing additional details of this program for further public comment and input.

“The Clean Energy Incentive Program is a great way to reward early investments designed to catalyze near-term emissions reductions, and most importantly a critical opportunity help direct investment in cost-saving efficiency programs directly targeted to benefit low-income Americans,” said Pam Kiely, Senior Director of Regulatory Strategy, for EDF. “By moving ahead with this proposal, EPA is providing valuable information and guidance for companies and state policymakers that want to harness this voluntary opportunity to reduce pollution and catalyze investment in clean energy solutions.”

The Clean Energy Incentive Program enables states and tribes to reward early investments in wind and solar power projects or demand-side energy efficiency measures that will help reduce the pollution that causes climate change and puts families and communities at risk. The voluntary program will also help create clean energy jobs and will lower energy costs for low-income communities.

The program is one of the provisions of the final Clean Power Plan – the historic plan to put the first-ever national limits on carbon pollution from fossil-fuel fired power plants. States that want to take part in the Clean Energy Incentive Program can get matching compliance credits for the Clean Power Plan.   

EPA’s proposal today comes in response to requests from more than a dozen states to provide guidance and information about the program. In a letter to EPA’s Janet McCabe earlier this spring, fourteen states highlighted their need for additional information and assistance related to the final Clean Power Plan, and asked that EPA provide this information “in a manner that is respectful of the Supreme Court’s stay of the regulations” because the information “will be important to our state efforts to prudently plan for and implement a variety of state and federal obligations.”

EPA’s provision of this assistance is wholly in line with actions taken by past Administrations of both parties. As discussed in a recent white paper by NYU Law’s Institute for Policy Integrity, under the last three presidential administrations, EPA continued to work on facilitating the implementation of Clean Air Act rules that had been stayed by the courts.

The Clean Energy Incentive Program will now go through a 60 day public comment period. EPA will also hold a public hearing in Chicago on August 3^rd.

NEWS RELEASE

“George Voinovich – a mayor, governor, and senator – died this past Sunday morning. His pragmatism, bipartisanship, and commitment to Ohio’s environment will be missed. 

“The Ohio Republican demonstrated long-standing leadership on several key issues, particularly Great Lakes protection and restoration and the Diesel Emission Reduction Act. 

“As the mayor of Cleveland, Voinovich appreciated the beauty and tremendous value of Lake Erie and the entire Great Lakes ecosystem. As Ohio’s governor and its U.S. senator, he advanced numerous measures to ensure those waters were not diverted and that pollution into the Lakes was reduced. 

“Voinovich also worked to reduce emissions substantially from trucks, buses, trains, and boats. His efforts on the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act demonstrated how American technology could reduce pollution and increase economic development.

“In these efforts, Senator Voinovich regularly reached across the aisle and highlighted how environmental protection needed a bipartisan effort that would improve public health, spur private-sector investment, create jobs, and preserve key ecosystems.”

-Elizabeth Thompson, Vice President, US Climate & Political Affairs, Environmental Defense Fund

(Belmopan, Belize – June 16, 2016) This week Belize becomes the first country in the world to adopt a national, multispecies secure fishing rights program for small-scale fisheries. After a long struggle to address illegal fishing and the threat of overfishing, a partnership of fishing communities and non-governmental organizations, under the leadership of Belize’s Fisheries Department, created a new system that empowers fishermen and women to conserve and protect their fishery while still using its resources to provide for their families.

“We have a small-scale fishery here in Belize, and at the end of the day we are very keen in putting in place a regime which speaks to long-term sustainability that empowers and improves the livelihoods of the people who depend on fisheries,” said Fisheries Administrator Beverly Wade.

Along the Belize Barrier Reef there is magnificent biodiversity - mangroves, corals, seagrass, cayes and their populations of conch, lobster, and reef fish. However, as is common in many developing fishing nations, unsustainable and illegal fishing are major threats to the preservation of these rich ecosystems, the livelihoods of local families that depend on these natural resources and food security for Belizeans.

In response to these challenges, the Belize Fisheries Department, with support from the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), spearheaded a coalition of government, fishing communities and non-governmental organizations to address these problems and create incentives for fishermen and women to become stewards of their fisheries. At the center of the solution being adopted by Belize is a combination of secure fishing rights and empowerment called “Managed Access” in Belize. Under this approach, fishermen and women control their own future through licenses giving them access to fish in two of eight specific geographic areas—or Territorial Use Right for Fishing (TURF) —of the fishery, and responsibilities to help manage the areas and observe regulations. 

“Belize is showing the world the way forward,” said Amanda Leland, EDF’s senior vice president for Oceans. “The adoption of fishing rights nationwide will serve as proof to other countries with small-scale fisheries that reforms can create a benefit for not only the environment, but for the people who depend on fish for food and income.”

This concept was first tested at Glover’s Reef Atoll and Port Honduras, where a partnership among the Belize Fisheries Department, WCS, EDF and the Toledo Institute of Development and Environment (TIDE), led to the implementation of the program at the two pilot sites. These areas were established in July 2011, with dedicated access for fishermen who have traditionally used those fishing areas.

“The very supportive responses from the diverse fishers who worked with the NGOs at the pilot sites demonstrated that our pioneering efforts could be nationally implemented for the benefit of the fishers themselves, and the fishing resources that we all want to secure for future generations of Belizeans,” added Nicole Auil Gomez, country director, WCS Belize.

“Under this system of secure fishing rights, fishermen’s incentives flipped from catching as much as possible today to conserving the fishery for the long-term,” said Larry Epstein, Belize country director, Oceans, EDF. “At the two pilot sites, fishermen now enjoy better catches, scientific surveys show the first signs of recovery of fish, and fishermen are complying with regulations like never before. Fishing violations are down 60% and more than 90% of fishermen are submitting their catch data, leading to more accountability and better science.”

The success of the two pilot projects led to demands from thousands of fishermen in Belize to adopt the program across the country. The implementation of secure fishing rights reaffirms the government’s commitment to adopt sustainable and responsible management of Belize’s fisheries. 

“Congratulations to the Government, NGO partners and people of Belize for this impressive milestone. The rollout of nationwide fisheries managed access to the entire territorial waters continues Belize’s leadership role in the Caribbean and around the globe in marine and fisheries conservation,” said Caleb McClennen, WCS vice president of Global Conservation.

Work on this initiative has been supported by The Summit Foundation and the Oak Foundation.

(NEW YORK – June 16, 2016) Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) announced today the addition of Eric Davidson, Ph.D., to the NutrientStar science review panel. Dr. Davidson is a professor and director at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science’s Appalachian Laboratory.

NutrientStar is the first-ever program to provide famers, their advisors and supply chain actors with reliable, field-tested data on the performance of fertilizer management tools. The program’s independent science review panel conducts rigorous assessments of nutrient use efficiency tools on the market to determine how a tool works on the ground, in different regions and on different soil types.

“The review panel is comprised of leading scientists, fertilizer experts and technology practitioners from across the country,” said Karen Chapman, agricultural sustainability project manager at EDF and administrator of the NutrientStar program. “We are delighted to add Dr. Davidson to this distinguished group, as he brings a unique ecological perspective that will help the program to highlight the potential environmental benefits of tools and products under assessment.”

Davidson, an ecologist and expert in the nitrogen cycle, researches biogeochemical processes, including the exchange of plant nutrients from the land to streams and groundwater, and the exchange of greenhouse gases between the soil and the atmosphere.

In his position on the review panel, Dr. Davidson will assess all tools based upon established scientific criteria and their ability to improve nutrient use efficiency in the field. These reviews involve analysis of company-shared data, publicly available data and field trial data.

“NutrientStar seeks to create a trustworthy source of information for farmers, and can help showcase why fertilizer efficiency makes economic sense,” noted Dr. Davidson. “Building confidence one farmer at a time is incredibly powerful, and building alliances among different stakeholders, as EDF already does, can also lead to win-win scenarios.”

Prior to his position at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Dr. Davidson studied the nitrogen cycle at the Woods Hole Research Center. He has worked in the Brazilian Amazon researching how the conversion of forests to cattle pastures and row crop agriculture impacts soil carbon, nitrogen and greenhouse gas emissions. He also studied agriculture on the Delmarva Peninsula on the East Coast of the U.S. and in temperate forests of New England.

“We face the problem of excess nitrogen in the environment, and the challenge is figuring out how to optimize our nitrogen use to maximize the productivity of food while minimizing unintended pollution,” added Davidson. “I strongly believe that optimizing nitrogen use can benefit humanity while minimizing environmental impacts.”

Dr. Davidson is also a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and President-Elect of the 60,000-member scientific society, the American Geophysical Union. He served as the Coordinator of the North American Center for the International Nitrogen Initiative and is the leader of a Research Coordination Network on Reactive Nitrogen in the Environment. Davidson has also written a popular book, You Can’t Eat GNP, which explores the links between economics and ecology.

De acuerdo con analistas de ICF International, las acciones que cada nación realice para reducir las emisiones de metano que retiene el calor, provenientes de operaciones de la industria del gas y el petróleo, pueden eliminar 232,000 millones de pies cúbicos de metano por debajo de los niveles proyectados en Canadá, Estados Unidos y México.

El Environmental Defense Fund, (EDF) en colaboración con el Centro Mario Molina de México y el Instituto Pembina de Canadá, dio a conocer un informe de políticas, basado en este nuevo hallazgo, titulado, “Liderazgo de Norteamérica en materia de cambio climático: Un mapa de ruta para la acción global sobre emisiones de metano”. Lo presentó en un evento en la Ciudad de México organizado por los think tank COMEXI (Consejo Mexicano de Asuntos Internacionales) y el Instituto México del Wilson Center. Entre los conferencistas estuvieron la subsecretaria de energía de EUA, Paula Gant, y Rodolfo Lacy Tamayo, Subsecretario de Planeación y Política ambiental de la SEMARNAT.

El anuncio llega mientras el presidente Peña Nieto, el presidente Obama y el primer ministro Trudeau se preparan para la Cumbre de Líderes de América del Norte que se celebrará en Ottawa el 29 de junio, en el que los problemas de energía y ambientales son temas clave para la colaboración trilateral. El metano es un tema potencial considerando el reciente pacto climático de Estados Unidos y Canadá, y que los tres países reconocen la importancia de reducir sus emisiones. Si México iguala la meta de reducción del 40 a 45 por ciento de Estados Unidos y Canadá, y desarrolla reglamentos para lograrla, Norteamérica podría ver un beneficio climático a 20 años, lo que equivale a sacar de circulación a 85 millones de vehículos.

El informe de América del Norte de ICF, comisionado por EDF, compila análisis similares de ICF realizados en Estados Unidos (2014), Canadá (2015) y México (2015). Todos los análisis concluyeron que reducir el metano de los sectores clave en la cadena de suministro de petróleo y gas es rentable y ambientalmente benéfico. Incluso a los precios históricamente bajos del petróleo, hay muchas soluciones viables para que las compañías reduzcan sus emisiones. En promedio, el costo de la captura de metano añadiría un solo centavo al precio actual del petróleo, con base en el costo de las soluciones y la capacidad de vender el metano recuperado, el principal ingrediente del gas natural.

“Conforme México transforma su sector energético y construye nuevos ductos, ahora es el momento de asegurar que se reduzcan las emisiones de metano de la industria del petróleo y gas. Si esto no sucede, entonces a medida que el sector crezca, también crecerán las emisiones de metano, lo que impediría que México cumpla con sus metas climáticas,” afirmó el Dr. Mario Molina durante la presentación del informe de ICF México el otoño pasado.

Estados Unidos, Canadá y México son tres de las principales naciones productoras de petróleo y gas y se encuentran entre los cinco principales emisores de metano, según Rhodium Group en un informe sobre emisiones globales de petróleo y gas metano publicado el año pasado. Juntas, las tres naciones norteamericanas representan casi el 20 por ciento de la contaminación global de metano proveniente de la industria de gas y petróleo. En marzo, Estados Unidos y Canadá acordaron un pacto climático histórico que incluyó una meta de reducir las emisiones de metano de esta industria hasta en un 45 por ciento para el 2025. El lugar central de metano en este acuerdo (y como principal prioridad para ambos gobiernos) resalta el creciente impulso internacional en este tema.

“Es un momento importante para Norteamérica”, comentó Drew Nelson, Director de la División de Gas Natural de EDF.  “En la Cumbre de Líderes a fines de este mes, Canadá, Estados Unidos y México tienen una oportunidad de tomar una posición de liderazgo y dar el ejemplo de cómo el mundo va a hacer frente a la contaminación de gas metano proveniente de la industria del gas y el petróleo. Un compromiso de esta magnitud y escala va a ayudar a catalizar la acción global.”

El gobierno de México anteriormente destacó a las emisiones de gas metano provenientes de la industria del gas y el petróleo, como una forma de cumplir sus objetivos de reducción de gases de efecto invernadero antes de las pláticas del clima en París. Ahora México tiene la oportunidad de demostrar este compromiso en la próxima Cumbre de Líderes y afirmar que los lazos de energía más estrechos con Estados Unidos y Canadá también significan cooperación para lograr las protecciones ambientales necesarias. 

Adoptar un enfoque unificado sobre el metano también puede mejorar la integración energética de América del Norte al hacer que las compañías multinacionales de petróleo y gas cumplan con normas internas similares.

“Controlar las emisiones de gas metano provenientes de la industria del gas y el petróleo no sólo es posible y rentable en Canadá sino en toda Norteamérica”, afirmó Duncan Kenyon, Director del Programa del Instituto Pembina, Petróleo y Gas No Convencional. “Con una fuerte acción en todo el continente para asegurar una mejor integración y alineación de la regulación ambiental y energética, el metano es un asunto que cuenta con lineamientos ya establecidos para ayudar a mejorar el estado del medio ambiente en América del Norte”.

“Está claro que coordinar los métodos y estrategias sobre el cambio climático entre los tres líderes norteamericanos será una prioridad en la Cumbre de Ottawa el 29 de junio”, comentó Duncan Wood, Director del Instituto México de Wilson Center. “El Instituto México está encantado de promover el diálogo trilateral sobre la cuestión de emisiones de metano y de trabajar juntos con nuestros socios en los sectores públicos y privados para promover una conversación más constructiva en ésta área.”   

“La contaminación por metano proveniente del gas y el petróleo representa una excelente oportunidad para Comexi –plataforma líder en México de los eventos globales más relevantes – para contribuir a un diálogo informado sobre la nueva escena internacional del sector energético y las grandes oportunidades de cooperación para América del Norte”, comentó Susana Chacón,  miembro de  la junta mesa del Consejo. “Como lo ha comentado la División de Energía de Comexi, la cooperación de Estados Unidos, México y Canadá en esta área posicionará a la región como la más competitiva del mundo.”

Por qué el metano es importante

El gas natural se constituye en 95% de metano y es un potente gas de efecto invernadero que contribuye al cambio climático, ya que su impacto a corto plazo es mucho mayor que el dióxido de carbono.  El metano es responsable del 25% del calentamiento actual. A nivel mundial, el sector del petróleo y gas es la mayor fuente industrial de metano.

Una reducción del 45 por ciento en las emisiones de gas metano provenientes de la industria del gas y el petróleo tiene el mismo impacto en el clima que cerrar una tercera parte de las plantas de carbón del mundo durante 20 años.

Reducir el metano también reduce los contaminantes convencionales sin costo adicional como los compuestos orgánicos volátiles (COV) y los contaminantes peligrosos del aire (CPA) asociados con las emisiones de metano de la industria del petróleo y gas.

El informe de políticas de EDF-MMC-Pembina, “Liderazgo de Norteamérica en materia de cambio climático: Un mapa de ruta para la acción global sobre emisiones de metano”, se puede encontrar aquí, junto con el informe de ICF, “Resumen de las oportunidades de reducción de emisiones de gas metano proveniente de la industria de gas y petróleo para América del Norte”. Ambos disponibles en inglés y español. 

National actions to reduce heat-trapping methane in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico from oil and gas operations can eliminate 232 billion cubic feet of methane below projected levels, according to analysts at ICF International. Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) in partnership with Mexico’s Mario Molina Center, and Canada’s Pembina Institute, released a policy brief titled, “North American Climate Leadership: A road map for global action,” based on this new finding at an event in Mexico City organized by leading think tanks COMEXI (Mexican Council on Foreign Relations) and the Wilson Center’s Mexico Institute. Among the speakers were the U.S. deputy energy secretary, Paula Gant, and Mexico’s Rodolfo Lacy Tamayo, Undersecretary of Planning and Environmental Policy SEMARNAT.

The announcement comes as President Peña Nieto, President Obama and Prime Minister Trudeau prepare for the North American Leaders’ Summit in Ottawa on June 29, where energy and environment issues are a key topic for trilateral cooperation. Methane is a potential issue given the recent US-Canada climate pact and the recognition by all three countries of the importance of reducing methane. If Mexico matches the U.S. and Canadian 40-45 percent reduction goal and develops regulations to achieve it, North America could see a 20-year climate benefit equal to taking about 85 million cars off the road.

ICF’s North American report, commissioned by EDF, summarizes similar analyses ICF conducted in the U.S. (2014), Canada (2015) and Mexico (2015). All analyses found that reducing methane from key sectors in the oil and gas supply chain is cost-effective and environmentally beneficial. Even at today’s historically low gas prices, there are many viable solutions for companies to reduce their emissions. On average, the cost of capturing methane would add just one penny to the current price of gas, based on the cost of solutions and the ability to sell the recovered methane, the main ingredient in natural gas.

“As Mexico transforms its energy sector and builds new pipelines, now is the time to ensure methane emissions from the oil and gas industry are reduced. If this doesn’t happen, then as the sector grows, so too will the methane emissions, which could undermine Mexico’s ability to meet its overall climate goals,” said Dr. Mario Molina during a presentation of the ICF Mexico report last fall.                                                                    

The United States, Canada and Mexico are three of the world’s largest oil and gas producing nations and are among the top five methane emitters, according to a Rhodium Group report on global oil and gas methane emissions released last year. Together, the three North American nations account for nearly 20 percent of global oil and gas methane pollution. In March, the U.S. and Canada agreed to a historic climate pact that included a goal of cutting oil and gas methane emissions by up to 45 percent by 2025.The central place of methane in this agreement—and as a top priority for both governments—underscores the growing international momentum on this issue.

“This is an important moment for North America,” said Drew Nelson, EDF Senior Manager, Natural Gas. “At the Leaders’ Summit later this month, Canada, the United States and Mexico have an opportunity to take a leadership position and set the example for how the world will deal with oil and gas methane pollution. A commitment of this size and scale will help catalyze global action.”

The government of Mexico previously highlighted oil and gas methane emissions as one way to meet its greenhouse gas reduction targets ahead of the Paris climate talks. Mexico now has the opportunity to demonstrate this commitment at the upcoming Leaders’ Summit and affirm that closer energy ties to the U.S. and Canada also mean cooperation in achieving necessary environmental protections. 

Taking a united approach on methane can also improve North American energy integration by making it seamless for multinational oil and gas companies to comply with comparable in-country standards.

“Controlling oil and gas methane emissions is not only feasible and low-cost in Canada, but in all of North America,” said Duncan Kenyon, Pembina Institute Program Director, Unconventional Oil and Gas. “With strong action across the continent to ensure improved energy and environmental regulation integration and alignment, methane is a policy issue ready-made to help improve the state of the environment across North America.”

“It is clear that coordinating climate change approaches and strategies among the three North American leaders will be a priority at the June 29 Ottawa Summit,” said Duncan Wood, Director of the Mexico Institute, Wilson Center. “The Mexico Institute is delighted to foster the trilateral dialogue over the issue of methane emissions reduction, and to work with our partners in the public and private sectors to promote a more constructive conversation in this area.”

“Methane pollution from oil and gas represents an excellent opportunity for COMEXI – Mexico’s leading platform for the discussion of the most relevant issues on the global agenda – to contribute to an informed dialogue about the new international energy scene and the vast opportunities for cooperation in North America,” said Susana Chacón, member of the Council’s board. “As COMEXI’s Energy Working Group has stated before, cooperation in this area among Canada, the U.S, and Mexico will position our region as the most competitive in the world.”

Why Methane Matters

Natural gas is over 95 percent methane and is a potent greenhouse gas contributing to climate change, because its short-term impact is many times greater than carbon dioxide.  Methane is responsible for 25 percent of current warming. Globally, the oil and gas sector is the largest industrial source of methane.

A 45 percent reduction in global oil and gas methane emissions has the same impact on the climate over 20 years as closing one-third of the world’s coal plants.                            

Reducing methane also reduces conventional pollutants at no additional cost such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) associated with methane emissions from the oil and gas industry.

The EDF-MMC-Pembina policy brief, “North American Climate Leadership: A road map for global action”, can be found here, along with ICF’s report, “Summary of Methane Emission Reduction Opportunities Across North American Oil and Natural Gas Industries”. Both are available in English and Spanish. 

(HARRISBURG, Pa. – June 13, 2016) The Pennsylvania House is expected to vote this week on Senate Bill 1195, legislation that adds a tangle of red tape to Pennsylvania’s ability to implement the Clean Power Plan – a flexible national policy that limits climate pollution from power plants and provides states the opportunity to develop customized state plans to reduce emissions.

“For the Clean Power Plan to have maximum climate and economic benefit for Pennsylvania, the Department of Environmental Protection must retain the flexibility to develop a thoughtful plan in a timely fashion. SB 1195 needlessly delays and complicates this process, adding layers of legislative review to an already exhaustive regulatory process.

“Pennsylvania’s energy companies deserve to have the regulatory certainty to make prudent, near-term decisions about power sector investments under the Clean Power Plan, but SB 1195 jeopardizes this opportunity by creating planning delays that will hurt, rather than help, Pennsylvania.

“We strongly urge the House to reject this legislative red tape, and hope that Governor Wolf will make it clear that any law that hamstrings the ability of his Administration to carry out executive functions efficiently and thoughtfully will be vetoed. The longer the state has to wait to submit a customized plan, the less time Pennsylvania businesses have to adapt to it in a way that can best secure jobs and protect Pennsylvania’s environment.

• Andrew Williams, Senior State Legislative and Regulatory Affairs Manager

(Washington, D.C. – June 13, 2016) The U.S. Supreme Court today rejected the latest in a long line of attacks on the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards – a historic clean air measure that is working to save lives and protect children’s health.

The Court denied certiorari – or, refused to hear –the petition in Michigan v. EPA (No. 15-1152) that could have put the Mercury Standards’ life-saving protections in jeopardy. 

“Today’s Supreme Court decision further solidifies our efforts to protect American families and communities from mercury, arsenic, acid gases and toxic pollution,” said Graham McCahan, Senior Attorney for Environmental Defense Fund, which was a party to the case. “The polluters’ case could have threatened not only the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards, but also the ability of Courts of Appeal to recognize the serious practical impacts – including the impacts on human health – of their decisions and to craft their relief accordingly.”

The Mercury and Air Toxics Standards set the first-ever national limits on hazardous air pollutants — including mercury, arsenic, chromium, and hydrochloric acid gas — from power plants, the largest source of those pollutants. 

When EPA wrote the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards in 2011, it found that the public health benefits of the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards were up to $90 billion annually, and far exceeded compliance costs. However, in June 2015, a sharply divided Supreme Court ruled 5-to-4 in an opinion by Justice Antonin Scalia that EPA should have also considered the costs in its initial, or threshold, decision to address these hazardous pollutants. EPA had considered costs later in the process when it established the resulting emissions safeguards. 

The Supreme Court remanded the case to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. Opponents then asked both the D.C. Circuit and the Supreme Court to block the continued implementation of the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards. Both requests were denied. 

Opponents then filed with the Supreme Court for a third time, asking the Justices to overturn the D.C. Circuit’s decision leaving the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards in place on remand while EPA worked to consider costs.  If opponents had prevailed, it would have jeopardized the significant pollution reductions and health protections currently being achieved by the Mercury Standards, and could have substantially interfered with the long-accepted duties and responsibilities of lower courts in a wide range of cases.

Today, the court refused to hear that case. 

Opponents have also sued in the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals over EPA’s final supplemental finding, in compliance with the Supreme Court’s directive, about the costs and benefits of the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards. (EDF has requested to intervene in that case as well.) EPA’s supplemental finding confirmed that the cost of compliance for the standards is eminently reasonable when considered in light of the serious public health and environmental hazards of toxic emissions from power plants. The pollutants covered by the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards are dangerous to human health even in small doses — mercury causes brain damage in infants and children, metal toxics like chromium and nickel cause cancer, and acid gases cause respiratory problems.

The lawsuits continue in spite of the fact that almost every power plant in America is already in compliance with the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards.  And since 2011, major power companies have dramatically reduced their estimates of the costs to comply with the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards, while the body of scientific evidence supporting them has been strongly affirmed. 

You can find more about the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards, including all legal briefs, on EDF’s website.

(AUSTIN — June 8, 2016) The Texas Railroad Commission (RRC) took an unfortunate step this week by recommending Texas file yet another lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The commissioners are urging the state to take legal action against new regulations that would limit methane emissions from the oil and gas industry, despite the fact that these regulations will help secure important climate and clean air protections.

 “It’s disappointing that the Railroad Commission is working against EPA on putting these important protections in place, especially because the agency’s new methane rule is an extremely cost-effective tool to help reduce the nearly 10 million metric tons of methane pollution the oil and gas industry is emitting each year.

“It is also disheartening to see the commission – which is responsible for ensuring Texas’ oil and gas resources are managed responsibly – is downplaying the environmental benefits of these protections when data from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change suggests that methane is responsible for approximately 25 percent of manmade global warming.

“The Texas oil and gas industry produces more methane emissions than any other state. Rather than fight against these commonsense protections, we hope the commission will choose to work with EPA to help implement commonsense climate and clean air protections that the vast majority of Americans support and that Texans deserve.”

·         Colin Leyden, Senior Manager, State Regulatory and Legislative Affairs, Oil & Gas