Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, the EPA has imposed these substantial competitive barriers, despite the industry's significant reduction in methane emissions through their own initiatives and innovation. What is not known is that through the EPA's own analysis, it shows that methane emissions from hydraulically fractured gas wells have actually fallen dramatically. According to EPA data--not my data, but EPA data--methane emissions from oil and gas production declined by 38 percent from 2005 to 2012, and methane emissions from hydraulically fractured natural gas wells have plummeted 73 percent since 2011. Total methane emissions from natural gas systems actually are down 11 percent since 2005, despite the significant production increases over this time period. This is a prime example of market forces at work. American producers developed innovative means of capturing additional methane because doing so means they have more product to sell. Profitability, rather than a top-down Washington regulation, drove this unprecedented emissions reduction. In fact, in 2012 alone, voluntary methane emission reductions activities by the U.S. oil and gas industry generated $364 million in additional revenue. Unfortunately, the methane rule represents the kind of one-size-fits- all policy that will actually stifle innovation and discourage further investment in emission reduction technology.…”