EPA's Draft Inventory Shows More Measurement Data is Needed

Environmental Defense Fund statement from Matt Watson, Vice President, Energy Program

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(AUSTIN, TX – Feb. 12, 2019) EPA released its draft greenhouse gas inventory today, showing an increase in oil and gas methane emissions for 2017.

"It's worth noting that year after year, we see a similar story. Emission estimates rise or fall by one percent or two, but overall methane emissions remain unacceptably high.

"Moreover, the inventory's methods of data collection dramatically undercount methane—by about 60 percent according to a comprehensive scientific study. Just last week, a new paper from the American Geophysical Union described atmospheric methane's increase since 2007, saying methane reductions from the oil and gas industry are urgently needed and ‘essential' to meeting global climate protection goals."

  • Matt Watson, Vice President, Energy Program

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