US methane regulations.
US rules aimed at 45% reductions in methane emissions from the oil and gas industry by 2025 are to be finalised in the middle of this year, according to a White House plan unveiled last month. Methane emissions are the second-most common greenhouse gas (GHG) in the United States and account worldwide for nearly 20% of 'radiative forcing' -- a measure of potential climate change impact. The new rules will apply from 2016 and only to new or newly modified sites.
The push to switch to natural gas from coal could lead to a rapid increase in gas installations.
However, the natural gas industry has expanded during the 'shale revolution' and those operations will be exempt from current rules.
Landfill regulations may proliferate at municipal and state level, where the industry is less politicised.
