Methane emissions from natural gas development in Pennsylvania is a major problem. A greenhouse gas, methane is emitted from leakage through natural gas production.
Methane emissions are a considerable threat to climate change, posing over 80 times the warming power of carbon dioxide over a 20-year time frame.
So when you think “quick action” on climate change, reducing methane emissions needs to be an important step in the process.
Royal Dutch Shell is an important producer in Pennsylvania and has set a strong standard for industry leadership. The Pennsylvania Environmental Council applauds Shell for opposing the rollback of the EPA methane rule and supporting stronger regulation for new and...
Pennsylvania has taken an important and long-awaited step toward substantially reducing methane emissions from oil and gas operations. With new monitoring and emissions requirements now in place for new and modified facilities and operations, we turn our full attention toward...
PEC and Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) have sent the following joint statement to House members in opposition to House Bill 2154, weakening environmental protections in relation to oil and gas production. April 30, 2018 To: Members of the...
PEC and Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) have sent the following joint statement to Senate Environmental Resources & Energy Committee members in opposition to Senate Bill 1088, concerning environmental protection and performance standards for the conventional oil and gas industry. ...
PEC has sent the following communication to the Governor and General Assembly in opposition to tax code legislation that was amended to include two provisions which fundamentally alter environmental permitting and protections. Click here to identify your legislator and let...
We at PEC recently had the honor of hosting a conference on Deep Decarbonization of the electricity grid in March of this year. Our main, selfish, goal was to learn more about the science, technology, and policy at play in...
PEC sent the following letter on Senate Bill 175 to members of the Pennsylvania Senate today: Dear Senators: On behalf of the Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC), I am writing to convey our opposition to Senate Bill 175. This legislation prevents...
John Walliser, Senior Vice President for Legal and Government Affairs, outlines PEC’s recent initiatives in the policy sector, ranging from longwall mining and implementation of the Clean Power Plan to methane emissions. Walliser not only summarizes PEC’s work from the...
The Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC) is pleased with today’s announcement from the White House concerning methane emissions from oil and gas operations. The announcement bridges several areas of concern we have regarding the growth of shale gas operations in Pennsylvania...
As Ben Franklin wrote, “when the well’s dry, we know the worth of water.” But how do you calculate the value of water resources in dollars and cents? Researcher Spencer Phillips, Ph.D., unpacks the far-reaching economic impacts of water quality...
As lawmakers wrestle with the future of nuclear energy in Pennsylvania, many issues remain unresolved. But within both parties there is increasingly widespread agreement on one principle: we can and should address greenhouse gas emissions in Pennsylvania, and that allowing...
As climate issues garner more and more urgent attention, how Pennsylvania will address our need to deeply decarbonize our electric and transportation sectors continues to be defined. Currently in the state: • The Department of Environmental Protection is considering an...
By Dan Grossman and Davitt Woodwell The news on climate change went from bad to worse in the last quarter of 2018. During that time, and despite inaction on all fronts at the federal level, the biggest story may have been...
Pennsylvania will slash 80% of net greenhouse gas emissions statewide by 2050 under targets announced January 8 by Governor Tom Wolf. State agencies will lead the way, working strategically through the governor’s new GreenGov Council to improve energy efficiency across...