New York Construction Report staff writer
The United States Environmental Protection Agency awarded New York State $8 million from the methane emissions reduction program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from oil and gas infrastructure and protect ground and surface waters.
“New York State is a leader in the nationwide effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Thanks to President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, states like New York can do even more to slash harmful pollution and take an important step in slowing the devastating impacts of climate change.”
The $8 million will be used to monitor and mitigate methane emissions from the oil and gas sector as the State works to plug wells with a focus on wells with individual landowners listed as operators.
A total of $350 million was awarded to 14 states that will help measure and reduce methane emissions, one of the biggest drivers of climate change.
The program also provides technical and financial assistance to New York to help well owners and operators voluntarily identify and eliminate methane emissions from low-producing conventional oil and gas wells.
In 2022, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced finalized regulations that require significant reductions in methane and other harmful emissions from any oil and natural gas infrastructure in New York State.
Regulations marked a milestone in realizing the State’s nation-leading clean energy and climate agenda by reducing methane emissions by more than 14,000 metric tons per year and volatile organic compound emissions by more than 2,000 tons per year. In addition, regulations in 2020 establish limits requiring that statewide emissions of methane and other greenhouse gases be reduced 40 percent by 2030, 85 percent by 2050, including emissions associated with imported electricity and fossil fuels.
