EPA, DOE Allocate $850M to Cut Methane Pollution from Oil and Gas Sector

The EPA and DOE are investing $850 million to reduce methane emissions from the oil and gas sector through advanced technologies and community-focused initiatives.

• By Robert Yaniz Jr.
• Dec 27, 2024

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Energy (DOE) have announced $850 million in funding to reduce methane emissions from the oil and gas sector. The initiative, part of the Biden administration’s Investing in America agenda, aims to tackle methane pollution, improve air quality and support climate goals.

According to a recent release, this funding will back 43 projects nationwide, targeting methane emissions through advanced technologies and monitoring systems. The projects include efforts to assist small oil and gas operators, tribal entities and other stakeholders in reducing emissions. Specific initiatives include deploying early-commercial technology, enhancing emissions measurement and providing communities with better access to emissions data.

“Today, we’re continuing to build on strong standards and historic progress to cut methane pollution and protect communities across the country,” EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan said in a statement. “Together, these investments will support small businesses and drive the deployment of available and advanced technologies to reduce harmful pollution and tackle the climate crisis, while creating good-paying jobs.”

Among the funded efforts, three projects will focus on reducing emissions from low-producing wells using commercially available technologies. Thirty-one projects will deploy early-commercial solutions, while others will enhance community access to emissions data and improve regional-scale detection and measurement.

These actions build on $350 million in grants announced in 2023 to support state-level emission reduction efforts. The EPA and DOE’s collaboration under the Methane Emissions Reduction Program also aligns with the Justice40 Initiative, which aims to direct 40% of benefits from federal climate investments to disadvantaged communities.

“The public health of our nation depends greatly on our ability to drastically reduce harmful pollution from America’s largest source of industrial methane – the oil and gas sector,” U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm said in a statement. “This historic investment made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act is helping energy communities and deliver long-lasting health and environmental benefits across the country. At the same time, it will support small operators' ability to replace and upgrade old equipment, reducing emissions from marginal conventional wells, improving their supply chains to meet the growing market expectations for cleaner fuel sources.”