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- U.S. LNG exporters will continue to focus on reducing methane emissions despite the Trump Administration’s plans to roll back environmental regulations.
- This decision is driven by the need to meet the methane emission standards of their export markets, particularly in Europe and Asia.
- Industry groups and companies have already invested heavily in emissions reduction and remain committed to maintaining these efforts regardless of domestic policy changes.
Despite the Trump Administration’s plans to roll back many environmental laws and regulations, U.S. LNG exporters and project developers will continue to monitor, report, and try to reduce their methane emissions to meet the standards of their exports markets.
U.S. LNG exporters to Europe and Asia are unlikely to see any effect on operations from the plans of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reverse climate regulations, Fred Hutchison, president of industry group LNG Allies, has told Reuters.
Last week, the EPA initiated a formal review of the so-called Endangerment Finding from 2009 that made the basis for climate change-related legislation. If the finding is dropped, this could have significant implications for future policies.
“The Trump Administration will not sacrifice national prosperity, energy security, and the freedom of our people for an agenda that throttles our industries, our mobility, and our consumer choice while benefiting adversaries overseas,” EPA administrator Lee Zeldin said.
“We will follow the science, the law, and common sense wherever it leads, and we will do so while advancing our commitment towards helping to deliver cleaner, healthier, and safer air, land, and water.”
Commenting on LNG regulations and standards in Europe, LNG Allies’ Hutchison told Reuters,
“Whatever changes are made to how the United States regulates methane, including the endangerment finding, the EU methane regulation remains unchanged.”
According to Chris Treanor of the LNG coalition Partnership to Address Global Emissions (PAGE), the members of the coalition – which include EQT and Williams Companies – have already invested tens of millions of U.S. dollars to reduce their emissions.
“They are committed to continuing to drive down their emissions,” Treanor told Reuters.
As of this year, EU regulations stipulate that importers of crude oil, natural gas, and coal into the EU will have to report on annual methane emissions data, including from countries and companies exporting to the EU. Information will have to include whether and how they are measuring, reporting and reducing methane emissions.
By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com
The post U.S. LNG Industry to Continue Cutting Methane Emissions Despite Trump Rollbacks appeared first on Energy News Beat.
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