EDF Examines Biden Administration’s Emissions Initiative

This is an excerpt from blog post published by the Environmental Defense Fund on June 27, 2024

Unpacking the Biden administration’s announcement of $850 million to tackle oil and gas methane emissions

The Biden administration just made another major investment in a cleaner, safer energy future for all Americans. On Friday, EPA and the Department of Energy announced applications are open for $850 million in funding to monitor and reduce methane emissions from the oil and gas sector.  

Applicants will apply for grants to implement projects under one of three areas of interest , or AOI, with applications due August 26th. In alignment with the Justice40 Initiative, all projects will need to ensure that 40 percent of benefits go to disadvantaged communities and will be required to submit a community benefits plan….

These efforts build upon EPA’s and DOE’s commitment in December of $350 million to 14 states to permanently plug and eliminate emissions at marginal conventional wells and support environmental restoration of well pads. Combining that with the first AOI brings the total for marginal well methane mitigation to $650 million, which is nearly half of all MERP funding.

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