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Oil and natural gas provide a net benefit to the environment. Countries with greater access to reliable, affordable energy not only have higher standards of living, but also cleaner environments and healthier populations. Increased use of natural gas electricity generation leads to lower levels of air pollution and offers a tangible solution for climate change. Fuel switching to natural gas in the electricity sector is the number one reason the United States has reduced greenhouse gas emissions more than any other country since 2005.
Of course, like any human industrial or agricultural activity, oil and natural gas development and production have environmental impacts. The keys to effective regulation are to minimize those impacts, reduce risk of accident, and partner with industry to deliver continuous, incremental environmental improvements. American oil and natural gas producers have met every legitimate environmental challenge, reducing air emissions, water use, and footprint on the land, among others. Our industry has enabled more on-the-ground conservation work than any other. We have a four-decade record of success in reducing methane emissions even as oil and natural gas production has skyrocketed. Western Energy Alliance advocates for a stable, predictable regulatory climate that recognizes the oil and natural gas industry as a partner in environmental protection. We oppose overly prescriptive regulations that impose excessive red tape rather than deliver on-the-ground environmental protection. We’ve seen how overregulation stifles innovation and can lock in obsolete technology. Effective regulation, on the other hand, sets standards and empowers innovation, thereby unleashing best practices and more efficient ways to deliver environmental benefits. |
The U.S. leads the world in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and the primary reason is natural gas. Learn more
Related Content- Natural Gas Climate Change Benefits
- Regulatory Obsession with Oil and Natural Gas - The Impact of Regulatory Costs on Small Firms, SBA - The Total Cost of Federal Regulations, NAM |
Comments
Below are comments submitted by the Alliance on various regulatory issues:
Below are comments submitted by the Alliance on various regulatory issues:
| 05/18/2020 Strengthening Transparency in Regulatory Science Comments |
| 3/23/2020 Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation FIP Comments |
| 3/10/2020 EPA CAA Section 179B Guidance Comments |
| 2/19/2020 EPA Uintah & Ouray FIP ICR Comments |
| 1/27/2020 EPA New Owner Clean Air Act Audit Program |
| 11/25/2019 EPA OOOOa Methane Policy Rule |
| 10/21/2019 EPA Regulations on Water Quality Certification |
| 9/24/2019 EPA NESHAP Major Source Reclassification with AXPC IPAA |
| 9/21/2019 Oregon Coastal Management Program - Jordan Cove |
| 9/13/2019 EPA FIP Amendments - ESA NHPA with UPA |
