The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Energy (DOE) announced a conditional commitment to 14 states - including Louisiana - to receive a total of $350M in formula grant funding to help measure and reduce methane emissions, one of the biggest drivers of climate change, from the oil and gas sector.
The funding will help states support industry efforts to cut methane emissions from wells on non-federal lands and support environmental restoration of well sites.
In the U.S., 30% of methane emissions come from the O&G sector. Methane is more potent than carbon dioxide and is responsible for about 33% of the warming from greenhouse gases occurring today, according to EPA.
Through these investments, the Methane Emissions Reduction Program will help industry reduce waste, create new jobs in energy communities and realize near-term emission reductions.
Once all legal and administrative requirements are satisfied, funding received through the will provide technical and financial assistance to states to help well owners and operators voluntarily identify and eliminate methane emissions from low-producing conventional oil and gas wells.
States can also use the funding to support environmental restoration of well sites and monitor sites to verify plugged wells are no longer emitting methane.
Louisiana was among the 14 states to receive conditional funding based on a state’s proportion of the total number of low-producing conventional wells in participating states on nonfederal lands: The Louisiana Department of Natural Resources will tentatively receive $15,661,335. (EPA 12/15/23) Biden-Harris Administration Announces $350 Million to 14 States to Reduce Methane Emissions from Oil and Gas Sector as Part of Investing in America Agenda | US EPA
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