Pennsylvania Methane Pollution Standard Advanced by DEP Environmental Quality Board; Moms Clean Air Force Applauds this Important Step Toward Establishing Statewide Methane Protections for Existing Sources of Oil and Gas Pollution

PRESS STATEMENT
December 17, 2019

Contact:
Vanessa Lynch, 757.277.3729, vlynch@momscleanairforce.org
Mollie Michel, 718.536.6336, mmichel@momscleanairforce.org

Today’s positive vote at the Environmental Quality Board meeting marks a major milestone in the advancement of the Department of Environmental Protection’s draft rule regulating methane pollution from existing oil and gas operations.

After the meeting, Vanessa Lynch of Moms Clean Air Force, Pennsylvania issued the following statement:

“As a mother living with eight fracked gas wells in my residential community, I am very concerned about the air pollution from these gas wells that puts my children’s health and safety at risk. It is essential that families and communities like mine impacted by oil and gas operations get the strongest methane protections to help clean up the air while at the same time reducing climate pollution,” said Vanessa Lynch, Pennsylvania Field Organizer for Moms Clean Air Force. Lynch lives in Indiana Township, located in Allegheny County.

“At a time when the federal government is working to eliminate vital methane pollution safeguards, moms are thankful for the leadership from Governor Wolf for launching the methane rulemaking process to curb air pollution from the gas wells in my community and the thousands of existing oil and gas operations across the Commonwealth.”

As the third largest greenhouse gas polluting state in the country, Pennsylvania bears an outsized responsibility to address climate change and protect communities across the commonwealth. Focusing on methane controls will help Governor Wolf achieve his commitments to reduce greenhouse gases as outlined in his January Executive Order on climate.”

“My children and all of Pennsylvania’s families have a right to live in a clean environment and breathe clean air. Moms Clean Air Force’s over 100,000 members in Pennsylvania look forward to participating in a robust public comment period to help ensure that the state’s methane regulations are among the most comprehensive and protective in the nation.”

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About Moms Clean Air Force: Moms Clean Air Force is a community of over one million moms—and dads—working together to fight air pollution, including the urgent crisis of our changing climate. For more information, go to http://www.momscleanairforce.org/or follow us on Twitter @CleanAirMoms, Instagram @cleanairmoms, or Facebook.