New York\u2019s latest activist-attorney general has put the EPA on notice about greenhouse gas emissions \u2013 more specifically, methane.<\/p>\n
Eric Schneiderman\u2019s office sent a release this morning describing a multi-state coalition\u00a0 \u201cto curb climate change pollution from (the) oil and gas industry.\u201d<\/p>\n
Schneiderman calls methane, \u201ca very potent greenhouse gas.\u201d Pound for pound, the release states, \u201cit warms the climate about 25 times more than carbon dioxide.\u201d<\/p>\n
The seven states, New York, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode island, Connecticut, Maryland and Delaware, sent a notice of intent to sue today, charging:<\/p>\n
EPA has missed the applicable deadline for determining whether standards and guidelines limiting methane emissions from oil and gas operations under section 111 of the Clean Air Act are appropriate and for issuing such standards, EPA\u2019s ongoing failure to address the sector\u2019s methane emissions violates the Clean Air Act and harms the health and welfare of our residents.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
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In the press release, Schneiderman writes that the EPA\u2019s \u201cfailure\u201d leaves 95% of this pollution unregulated and uncontrolled.<\/p>\n
\u201cToday,\u201d he writes, \u201cour coalition is putting EPA on notice that we are prepared to sue to force action on curbing climate change pollution from the oil and gas industry.\u201d<\/p>\n