The EPA today issued final rules designed to reduce methane and VOC emissions from new oil and gas operations. The new rules, first proposed last August, are part of the Obama Administration’s goal of reducing methane emissions from oil and gas activity by 40-45% of 2012 levels by 2025.
The EPA said the rules would reduce methane emissions by 510,000 short tons and VOC emissions by 210,000 short tons by 2025. The agency said the rules would yield climate benefits of $690 million in 2025, which would outweigh its cost estimate of $530 million.
As FuelFix notes, however, final rules targeting methane emissions from existing wells will be left up to the next administration. EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy said the agency would not complete its data collection for the rulemaking before President Obama leaves office in January.
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