Goal Would Reduce Methane Emissions up to 45 Percent by 2025 

WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 14, 2015) – Today the Obama administration announced an ambitious goal of reducing methane emissions up to 45 percent by 2025. Achieving the administration’s goal could save the natural gas equivalent to 33 million tons of carbon pollution per year, and address reducing methane emissions not only in the energy sector but across the U.S. economy.

“Methane leaks and releases are a big problem. Many cities and states have taken action to curb wasteful—and harmful—methane emissions. Until now a national methane strategy—and the resources that come along with it—have been the missing piece,” said Kim Glas, Executive Director of the BlueGreen Alliance.

“We applaud President Obama for announcing this important and significant step forward to address methane emissions. Methane is a potent source of emissions, and taking steps to reduce emissions is a substantial opportunity to put American workers squarely at the forefront of developing, manufacturing, and implementing these technologies—providing high-quality jobs and stimulating local economies. Achieving the reductions announced in this proposal would be a significant step toward realizing the vast potential American workers and technology can deliver to move the U.S. to a clean energy economy,” said Glas.

The BlueGreen Alliance sent a letter to President Obama on October 10, 2014 calling on the administration to develop a national methane strategy. In addition, in December the group placed a full-page advertisement in the Washington Post pushing for action.

The group also released a report on repairing and replacing natural gas distribution lines that showed that this could be a significant driver of jobs. The report found that by accelerating the repair and replacement of the distribution pipelines to a 10-year window versus the status quo, we would create 313,000 jobs for American workers.