President Biden’s Plan: $850 Million to Cut Methane Emissions from Oil and Gas

The US Department of Energy (DOE) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have announced that applications are open for $850 million in federal funding. This funding aims to monitor, measure, quantify, and reduce methane emissions from the oil and gas sectors as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda.

Oil and natural gas facilities are the largest industrial source of methane, a potent climate pollutant. This funding is part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s strategy to reduce methane emissions, as outlined in the US Methane Emissions Reduction Action Plan. The initiative builds on actions taken in 2023, including an EPA rule to cut methane emissions by 80% from covered facilities.

The funding, from the Inflation Reduction Act, will help reduce air pollution, create jobs, and improve efficiency in oil and gas operations. It will support small operators in adopting innovative technologies and provide accurate emissions data to communities.

US Secretary of Energy Jennifer M Granholm said, “As we continue to accelerate the nation’s clean energy transition, we are taking steps now to drastically reduce harmful emissions from America’s largest source of industrial methane – the oil and gas sector.”