
The US’ hidden methane problem - spenrose
http://www.climatechangenews.com/2018/08/13/us-methane-problem
======
spenrose
Across the US, a major, uncontrolled leak of a potent greenhouse gas is going
unregulated and largely unnoticed.

Climate Home News analysis of government data has identified roughly 300
active and 200 abandoned coal mines, which are the source of almost one-tenth
of US methane pollution.

Methane has 34 times the long-term warming effect of carbon dioxide and
accounts for 10% of US greenhouse gas emissions. Its emissions from the oil
and gas industry and the efforts of the Trump administration to roll back
regulations on them have been widely publicised.

Meanwhile, US coal mines released 60.5 MMTCO2e of methane in 2016, with
roughly the same warming impact as 13 million cars. Efforts to control the
problem are being hampered despite those with the technical expertise claiming
a whole industry could be built on capturing these emissions and turning them
into electricity.

