State of Pennsylvania : BLOG: Governor Wolf Announces New Methane Rules to Improve Air Quality, Reduce Industry Loss (Round-up)

Harrisburg, PA - Yesterday, Governor Tom Wolf announced a nation-leading strategy to reduce emissions of methane, a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change, and has been implicated in health risks. The plan is designed to protect the environment and public health, reduce climate change, and help businesses reduce the waste of a valuable product by reducing methane leaks and emissions from natural gas well sites, processing facilities, compressor stations and along pipelines.

Check out some of the coverage:

StateImpact PA : In climate move, Wolf unveils new methane regulations for oil and gas industry. 'Governor Tom Wolf announced new plans Tuesday to cut methane emissions from the state's oil and gas sector. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. Wolf's announcement follows a similar move by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in September.'

Beaver County Times: Gov. Tom Wolf unveils effort to curtail methane emissions. 'Calling the changes 'best-in-class measures' already used by industry leaders and mandated by other states, Wolf said they will 'improve our air by addressing the urgent crisis of climate change and help businesses reclaim product that are being wasted.' Besides the environmental damage caused by methane emissions and leaks, Wolf said that loss of product costs the industry millions of dollars a year.'

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Wolf announces plan to reduce methane emissions at gas wells. 'Pennsylvania will take new steps to cut methane emissions from natural gas wells and pipelines and fill gaps in state policies that have allowed many sources to release the potent greenhouse gas without controls. Gov. Tom Wolf on Tuesday unveiled a four-part plan to reduce methane leaks and emissions at new and existing well sites and pipelines. The plan includes developing a new permit for new shale gas well sites, a more stringent permit for new compressor stations and gas processing facilities, a regulation for limiting leaks at existing oil and gas facilities and best practices for detecting and fixing leaks along pipelines.'

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: Pa. Gov. Wolf targets methane emissions from oil and gas. 'Gov. Tom Wolf is moving to toughen regulations on methane emissions from Pennsylvania's oil and gas industry by directing his administration to write rules for existing wells and equipment and to revamp permits for new sources of pollution. The moves - announced Tuesday during a live video stream on Facebook discussing climate and environmental issues - follow through on Wolf's promise to more stringently control emissions and answer calls from environmentalists concerned that pending federal rules cover only new wells and facilities.'

Scranton Times-Tribune : Wolf wants to reduce drilling methane emissions by 40 percent. 'Gov. Tom Wolf wants to reduce emissions of methane from the natural gas industry by 40 percent during the next five years. Concerns about climate change and health risks are behind the new state plan announced Tuesday. It calls for new permit rules and regulations to reduce methane emissions, the second most prevalent greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere from Marcellus Shale wells, compressor stations, processing facilities and pipelines. It would rely on using the best technology, requiring leak detection and repair programs, better record keeping and more inspections.'

PennLiv e: Environmentalists, shale coalition respond to Gov. Wolf's new rules for methane emission. 'Gov. Tom Wolf made good on a campaign promise and took steps Tuesday to reduce methane emissions from the oil and gas industry…. Fewer methane emissions will be a positive change in a state where 4 million people live in areas that exceed the national clean air standards for ozone levels, according to the Clean Air Council.'

Pittsburgh Business Tim es: Wolf unveils new rules to regulate methane emissions in gas drilling. Gov. Tom Wolf on Tuesday unveiled new regulations to regulate methane emissions at natural gas drilling sites and other places including pipelines, compressors and processing stations. Wolf directed the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to create a new permit system for the drilling and production of natural gas that stressed the use of greener technology, quarterly inspections and more record-keeping, plus changes to its current permits for compressors and processors to use diesel engines that cut particulate matter and nitruous oxide. It also would require more use of technology that can detect leaks and have more regulation of existing facilities, pipelines and distribution systems.

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