Faith Responses to Methane Pollution

In June 2016, the Environmental Protection Agency announced its first-ever set of regulations on methane emissions from new sources. The regulations attempt to cap the amount of methane, a greenhouse gas dozens of times more potent than carbon dioxide, that is released into the atmosphere in the process of drilling for gas and oil. Regulations on existing sources are still to come. 

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Numerous religious organizations spoke out after the Trump Administration announced a rollback of methane pollution standards.

• Interfaith Power & Light
• Creation Justice Ministries
• Evangelical Environmental Network
• 19 senior religious leaders submitted comments to EPA opposing methane rollbacks.

In January 2015, numerous faith groups issued statements on the Obama Administration's plans to address methane emissions:

• Joint religious statement
• Creation Justice Ministries
• Jewish Council for Public Affairs and the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism
• Maryknoll Office of Global Concerns

In the News

In November 2019, religious organizations urged the EPA to reverse course on its methane regulation rollbacks.

In December 2017, EEN issued a statement against methane pollution regulation delays.

In July 2017, ICCR issued a statement on methane pollution as did the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life.

In November 2016, Creation Justice Ministries and COEJL issued a statement on the BLM methane rule.

In September 2016, OH religious leaders sent a letter to the Administration urging action on methane pollution.

In August 2016, religious leaders from the interfaith community, black church leaders and evangelical leaders sent letters to the EPA on the methane pollution data collection process.

In June 2016, more than 50 religious leaders in Pennsylvania issued a letter urging national methane standards.

In May 2016, statements were issued by the Evangelical Environmental Network, Creation Justice Ministries, Interfaith Power & Light, New Mexico Power & Light, Franciscan Action Network, and the Interfaith Center for Corporate Responsibility on the Administration's final methane new source rule.

​In January 2016, faith groups made statements on the Administration's proposed methane rule on federal lands.

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