Statement by Secretary Jewell on the President's Strategy to Reduce Methane Emissions

WASHINGTON, D.C. — As part of President Obama's Climate Action Plan, Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell issued the following statement today on the release of the Interagency Strategy to Reduce Methane Emissions:

“The President's interagency strategy puts us on a path to reduce methane emissions while continuing to harness America's domestic energy resources that power our economic future. Working collaboratively with our federal partners, state governments and the private sector, the Interior Department is taking steps to capture and sell natural gas and reduce methane emissions from oil, gas and coal development on public lands to improve air quality and achieve public health and economic benefits. We will continue to work hand in hand with states and industry to power more homes with cleaner American-made energy, while reducing methane emissions and cutting carbon pollution.”

Interior's Bureau of Land Management is studying a number of steps to reduce the amount of methane that is vented or flared from oil and gas development on public lands and as waste from coal mines.

Secretary Jewell last August visited North Dakota's Bakken Region to inspect new technologies being employed by some companies in the region to capture and reduce natural gas and methane emissions.

Jewell in January also met with Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper and representatives from the oil and gas industry, non-government organizations, and Colorado officials in a roundtable discussion regarding efforts to reduce methane emissions during the production, storage and transportation of oil and gas.