Protect Pennsylvania Families!
Pennsylvania leaders must take strong action now to address the climate crisis, which is already harming families in the commonwealth.
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas responsible for 25 percent of the climate change we're already experiencing worldwide, and cutting methane pollution from the oil and gas industry is the quickest, most cost-effective way for Pennsylvania to reduce climate-warming greenhouse gases.
The DEP recently announced a public comment period for a proposed rule to reduce methane and harmful air pollution from existing oil and gas operations. Pennsylvania residents now have the opportunity to voice their opinions on strengthening the rule to more comprehensively cut oil and gas pollution to protect our children and families.
The proposed rule would reduce methane and smog-forming volatile organic compounds from oil and gas operations, but does not go far enough, and will leave a sizable amount of methane pollution unchecked.
Take action now to urge DEP to strengthen its proposed rule to cut as much climate-warming methane as possible. Our children deserve strong protections from air and climate pollution.
To Whom it May Concern:
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection's proposed rulemaking to limit climate-warming methane pollution and harmful volatile organic compounds from existing oil and gas operations is a great step forward in Pennsylvania's efforts to curb climate pollution and protect public health. However, the proposal currently allows inspection loopholes for certain wells that would leave a sizable amount of climate-warming methane pollution unchecked. Leaks can occur any time and from any well.
Pennsylvania cannot achieve Governor Wolf's climate goals without strengthening the proposed existing source rule. I urge the Department to make the following improvements:
Close the loophole in the proposed rulemaking that exempts wells that produce lower amounts of oil and gas from the rule's requirements to find leaks and repair them. Low-producing wells are responsible for more than half of the methane pollution from oil and gas sources in Pennsylvania and all wells, regardless of production, require routine inspections.
Research shows that large, uncontrolled leaks are random and can only be detected with frequent and regular inspections. Therefore, we ask the DEP to eliminate the part of the draft rule that allows operators to reduce the frequency of inspections if previous inspections do not reveal significant methane leaks. Ensure this proposal includes requirements for all emission sources covered in DEP's already adopted standards for new oil and gas sources.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
