APS Letter of Thanks and Support to Representative Casten for Reintroducing the Methane Emissions Mitigation Research and Development Act

The Honorable Sean Casten
2440 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515-1306

Dear Representative Casten,

On behalf of the more than 50,000 members of the American Physical Society (APS) — the largest physics membership organization in the United States — I am writing to express our thanks and support for your and your co-sponsors’ reintroduction of the Methane Emissions Mitigation Research and Development Act (H.R.7651). As you know, this bill addresses research and technology gaps currently limiting effective monitoring and prevention of methane leaks, which is a crucial step towards fulfilling national greenhouse gas reduction goals. APS supported the original bill during the 117th Congress (H.R.9993), and we hope to see this legislation advance during the 118th Congress.

Addressing climate change is a policy priority for APS and its members. Methane is the second-most-abundant anthropogenic greenhouse gas and significantly contributes to climate change. Consequently, there is an urgent need to reduce methane emissions to help curb temperature increases from anthropogenic greenhouse gasses. An essential part of any strategy to mitigate methane emissions is the ability to accurately measure and monitor the amount and location of methane released by various sectors. In the oil and gas industry, the majority of methane emissions come from a limited number of “super emitters.” Compared to other sectors, methane emissions in the oil and gas industry can therefore be tackled quickly and efficiently.

APS members collaborated on the 2022 joint APS/Optica report Monitoring Methane Emissions from Oil and Gas Operations. This report identified research and technology areas requiring more support, and suggested ways to better coordinate monitoring efforts. Several of the recommendations from the APS report are addressed by the Methane Emissions Mitigation Research and Development Act, which we believe will put us on a positive course for reducing emissions. In addition to support for research at the Department of Energy, the bill also creates technology testbeds at the National Institutes for Standards and Technology. These testbeds will allow oil and gas companies of all sizes to better calibrate their tools and work towards better prevention of methane leaks.

I would like to reiterate our appreciation for the leadership you and your colleagues are demonstrating on this issue. We are thankful for your support to advance better methane emissions prevention through research and technology development. APS is happy to continue to serve as a resource on this topic, and if you have questions or would like to further discuss, please do not hesitate to contact APS Director of Public Affairs Mark Elsesser (elsesser@aps.org; 202.846.8121).

CC:
The Honorable Scott Peters
The Honorable Jennifer McClellan
The Honorable Kevin Mullin
The Honorable Jamaal Bowman
The Honorable Valerie Foushee

Sincerely,