The Biden-Harris Administration has announced the availability of $350 million in grants to states to cut methane emissions from the oil and gas sector. The funding, provided by the Inflation Reduction Act, aims to help monitor and reduce methane emissions, which are a major contributor to climate change. It will also support the environmental restoration of well sites and help oil and gas well owners and operators reduce methane emissions from leaks and daily operations.
The Methane Emissions Reduction Program, a collaboration between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and DOE’s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), will help improve the efficiency of U.S. oil and gas operations, create new jobs in energy communities, and contribute to the nation’s climate and clean air goals. The funding will also help small and medium-sized producers compete on a more level playing field and support environmental restoration efforts.
EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan emphasized the importance of cutting methane pollution and highlighted the economic and environmental benefits of the investment. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm noted the potency of methane as a greenhouse gas and highlighted the partnership between EPA and DOE to monitor and mitigate methane emissions from the oil and gas sector.
This funding opportunity is the first in a series of initiatives under the Inflation Reduction Act that will focus on monitoring and reducing methane emissions from the oil and gas sector. EPA and DOE plan to announce competitive funding opportunities in the future and will provide technical assistance to help industry monitor and reduce methane emissions.
The Methane Emissions Reduction Program is part of the broader U.S. Methane Emissions Reduction Action Plan, which aims to detect and mitigate methane leaks and support state and local efforts to enforce methane emissions regulations. The program builds on over 80 actions taken by the Administration since the launch of the Plan in November 2022.
States have until September 30, 2023, to apply for this funding opportunity. The Methane Emissions Reduction Program provides financial and technical assistance for activities such as greenhouse gas reporting, methane emissions monitoring, equipment improvement and deployment, innovation support, and environmental restoration. The program also aims to mitigate health effects in low-income and disadvantaged communities and address legacy air pollution. Further information and applicant eligibility can be found at grants.gov.
For more information visit www.epa.gov
