Tomorrow! DEP Air Quality Technical Advisory Committee Webinar Public Comment

[Alex Lotorto]

Hello friends,

This DEP AQTAC webinar tomorrow was forwarded to me from Matt Walker at Clean Air Council. AQTAC is the committee that can reign in methane emissions from gas infrastructure by starting the regulatory process. They are considering new rules, but they aren't tight enough.

There will be an opportunity for public comment if you join by 11am tomorrow (earlier the better) regarding the draft methane rule for new sources like compressor stations, well pad infrastructure, and pipelines.

*You don't need to be an expert to comment!*

Key points that Clean Air Council wants to hit on with their methane campaign:

- Your concerns about shale gas infrastructure where you live.

- The methane rule is a start in the right direction but falls short in not requiring the best available technologies to capture or eliminate methane emissions.

- Raw and processed gas released from shale gas infrastructure includes toxic emissions like benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, formaldehyde, etc. in proximity to homes, schools, hospitals, and businesses, sometimes within a few hundred feet. "Natural gas" is not just methane.

- The EPA Natural Gas Star program recommends that gas dehydration stations and compressor stations run on electric motors instead of combustion to control emissions. 

- The EPA Natural Gas Star program also recommends that blowdown gases during maintenance periods be reinjected into interconnected pipelines instead of venting.

- Existing shale gas infrastructure that services more than 10,000 wells drilled in the last ten years MUST be covered under the new rule, not jist new sources.

To join the webinar you will have to click on this link.

https://copa.webex.com/copa/onstage/g.php?MTID=e0c84d1224c445be2866d3561db471e72

 Hope to hear you on the webinar!

-Alex