California, Colorado Lead In Controlling Methane Emissions

Interactive map detailing the methane mitigation industry. (Credit: Environmental Defense Fund)

California and Colorado are leading other U.S. states when it comes to acting to reduce methane emissions, according to a report commissioned by the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). Governments of the two states have moved quicker in addressing the emissions, a lot of which are coming from the oil and gas industry, than even new regulations laid out by the Obama administration in May.

Those rules are meant to reduce emissions of methane but also volatile organic compounds emitted through energy operations. With the report, the EDF identifies a number of states that have some adjustments to make in order to meet the standards, including Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Texas.

The report also looks at methane mitigation as an industry that will likely grow because of the new rules. This expansion will probably be felt by companies that design and manufacture equipment or provide support for managing methane emissions. A nationwide impact is possible, as companies in the sector have more than 500 locations and operate across 46 states.

Top image: Interactive map detailing the methane mitigation industry. (Credit: Environmental Defense Fund)