U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Energy Announce Intent to Fund Efforts to Reduce Methane Emissions from Oil and Gas Sector

 Issued: Jul 24, 2023 (9:01am EDT)


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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Energy Announce
Intent to Fund Efforts to Reduce Methane Emissions from Oil and Gas Sector


Financial and technical assistance will support methane emissions leak
reductions and monitoring in cooperation with states



 

WASHINGTON (July 24, 2023) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and DOE’s National Energy Technology
Laboratory (NETL) released a notice of intent announcing the first in a series
of funding opportunities to monitor and reduce methane emissions, one of the
biggest drivers of the climate crisis, from the oil and gas sector and for
environmental restoration of well sites. Through a newly initiated Interagency
Agreement, EPA and DOE will also partner to offer technical assistance to help
companies monitor and reduce methane emissions from leaks and daily
operations. Through this combination of technical and financial assistance,
EPA and DOE will help reduce inefficiencies of U.S. oil and gas operations,
create new jobs in energy communities, and realize near-term emission
reductions. These funding opportunities are made possible by President
Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act.


 


“The amount of methane emitted from oil and gas operations is enough to fuel
millions of homes a year and is a major driver of the climate crisis,�?? said
Joe Goffman, Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of
Air and Radiation. “These programs will help minimize that waste, a benefit
for nearby communities and businesses alike.�??


 


“Methane’s potency as a greenhouse gas makes targeted emissions reduction
efforts essential to slow the rapid rate of climate change,�?? said Brad
Crabtree, Assistant Secretary of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management. “These
programs will help states and industry to accelerate methane monitoring and
mitigation efforts, which will increase efficiency and reduce costs for oil
and gas producers, while providing long lasting climate and health benefits to
communities across the nation.�??


 


As described in the notice of intent, EPA and DOE will provide up to $350
million in formula funding to eligible states to assist industry to
voluntarily identify and permanently reduce methane emissions from
low-producing (marginal) conventional wells. These investments are expected to
improve the economic competitiveness of small and medium-sized producers while
reducing associated harmful air pollution, mitigating health effects in nearby
communities, and creating jobs in energy communities. States also will be able
to use a portion of their award for environmental restoration and to invest in
their monitoring capacity for low-producing conventional wells, which will
improve their ability to identify sources of methane emissions and to
effectively prioritize their mitigation. NETL plans to issue the funding
opportunity announcement later this summer.


 


Following this non-competitive solicitation, EPA and DOE intend to offer one
or more additional competitive solicitations to monitor and mitigate methane
emissions from the oil and gas sector, which will be available to a broader
range of applicants. These subsequent funding opportunities are expected to
advance the deployment of technologies and practices to monitor and reduce
emissions of methane and other greenhouse gases. A separate financial
assistance program for Tribal governments is also expected to be offered. 


 


In addition to funding opportunities, through this collaboration, EPA and DOE
will provide technical assistance to help states, industry, and other partners
implement cost-effective solutions that reduce methane leak emissions. The
agencies will support small and medium-sized producers that often lack the
capital and expertise of the larger oil and gas companies and will work with
partners to implement and prioritize best practices and mitigation
decision-support tools across the broader oil and gas sector. This technical
assistance will also ensure efforts are fully aligned with the needs of local
communities and help inform key decision-makers of mitigation opportunities
across states, industry, and other partners.


 


About the Methane Emissions Reduction Program


The Methane Emissions Reduction Program, created by the Inflation Reduction
Act, provides $1.55 billion in funding, including financial and technical
assistance to improve methane monitoring and reduce methane and other
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the oil and gas sector with the co-benefit
of reducing non-GHG emissions such as volatile organic compounds and hazardous
air pollutants. The program allows financial and technical assistance for a
number of activities, including: preparing and submitting greenhouse gas
reports, monitoring methane emissions, and reducing methane and other
greenhouse gas emissions by improving and deploying equipment, supporting
innovation, permanently reducing wasteful methane emissions from low-producing
conventional wells, mitigating health effects in low-income and disadvantaged
communities, improving climate resiliency, supporting environmental
restoration, and mitigating legacy air pollution. 


 


More information on Notice of Intent No. DE-FOA-0003108


 


More information on the Methane Emissions Reduction Program


 
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