Obama has a “carbon footprint” estimated, conservatively, to be 41,000 metric tons. That’s the equivalent of the footprint of 2200 Americans. Of course, that was in 2009, when he hadn’t sent his wife, kids, and dogs on separate flights on their way to vacations. This is a man who will take a fossil fueled flight across the country to give a 30 minute or less speech, before heading off to a fundraiser, of course. And now he wants to go after methane, which, surprise, is a major component of natural gas production
(Reuters) The White House said on Friday it will take a hard look at whether new regulations are needed to cut emissions of methane from the oil and gas industry, part of President Barack Obama’s plan to address climate change.
The suggestion drew a sharp rebuke from the main oil and gas lobby group. The American Petroleum Institute said its members were already taking steps that will cut emissions and expressed concern that more regulations could put a damper on natural gas drilling by raising costs.
A sector of the American economy that’s moving, so, yup, regulation.
But environmental groups said regulations are needed to make sure all players take action to reduce methane emissions. The greenhouse gas is 84 times more effective than carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the first 20 years after being released, according to the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
The actual number is not truly known. The IPCC says 84 times, you can find all different numbers. The UPI serendipitously ran an article yesterday stating that it was 30 times more potent. I can find the numbers 10, 21, 37, 49, and 86, among others. Now, in reality, there is, and should be a concern with methane. It is a much more potent greenhouse gas than CO2, though it doesn’t last as long in the atmosphere. And it doesn’t seem to have the same effect where continued higher concentrations really make little difference, like with CO2. At one point, even the IPCC determined that methane was the real danger, not CO2, particularly from agriculture and landfills. But, methane is not as sexy as CO2, and brings on lots of fart jokes. And do Warmists want to call for a decrease in food production? Some of the more wackier ones, yes, but mostly they ignore that.
Personally, I will not say that methane isn’t a danger. When I write that man shares a small portion of blame for global warming, methane is primarily what I’m thinking about. Should we be uber concerned? No. But, we should have some concern. There can be some wise, basic regulation.
The White House said regulators will propose new rules later this year to reduce venting and flaring from oil and gas wells on public lands, one way to begin cutting emissions of methane.
However, most oil and gas production takes place on privately owned land. So the Environmental Protection Agency is going to study this year whether additional, broader regulations are needed for methane emissions under the Clean Air Act, said Dan Utech, Obama’s top energy and climate aide.
Does anyone think that these regulations will be anything but overly burdensome, controlling, and damaging to the natural gas industry, as well as others? Regulations that will cause businesses to fold and prices to artificially rise?
Methane is the main component of natural gas. It is also released by dairy farms, landfills and coal mines.
The EPA will propose additional regulations for methane produced by new landfills in coming months, and will consider updating rules for existing landfills, the White House said.
The government will also work with the dairy industry on voluntary measures to cut emissions from their barns, the White House said.
But the biggest part of its strategy looks at how to stop leaks of methane from natural gas wells and pipelines, which the White House said was responsible for 28 percent of U.S. methane emissions in 2012.
“Voluntary”. The cost of milk, already skyrocketing, will go up more. Landfill regulations will increase the price of city services regarding trash pickup and trash disposal, raising consumer prices. The biggest is that the hardcore Progressives want to shut the coal and natural gas industries down.
In reality, there is, and should be a concern with methane. It is a much more potent greenhouse gas than CO2, though it doesn’t last as long in the atmosphere.
Should we be uber concerned? No. But, we should have some concern. There can be some wise, basic regulation.
“The White House said regulators will propose new rules later this year to reduce venting and flaring from oil and gas wells on public lands, one way to begin cutting emissions of methane.”
Actually, Obama’s carbon footprint is much, much greater than you claim. As Commander in Chief of our military, he is responsible for their official carbon footprint as well. As President he has to take responsibility for the carbon footprint of our Federal government as well!
His personal carbon footprint is small potatoes compared to his professional footprint. We get that your MO is to use ad hominem attacks, but in terms of real importance, how would you propose we cut the official carbon footprint of the government?
And it doesn’t seem to have the same effect where continued higher concentrations really make little difference, LIKE WITH CO2..
So Teach CO2 is a problem ??
And of course methane after 20 years does break down to what ??? CO2
Teach if high school chem is too much to remember think of it as the methane in the atmosphere as slowly. Burning oxidizing over 20 years and thus producing CO2 just as if it were burning with a flame, but slower.
Get it ??
And piss off Jeffery!! Teach has been MY bitch for years.
You can post but don’t leave any permanent marks on his psyche.
John,
I’ll try to be gentle, but some of the schiesse he types is as dense as lead!
Says the guy who thinks that “0=2.”
Oh, and by the way Jeffery, Al Gore and you are still hypocrites in the AGW debate and your unwillingness of you, Gore and people of your ilk to change your lifestyle shows that your talk about AGW is bluster and that you don’t actually believe what you type.
Actions speak louder than words Jeffery.
Says the guy who claims the Sun orbits the Earth… No wonder you don’t understand the physics of global warming.
I see. So a typo that you knew was a mistake and I admitted to is the same thing as a deliberate lie from you.
Got it.
No wonder you don’t have any understanding of morals and adult behavior.
Really? The questions I have asked you on the physics of what you believe have been met with silence. I wonder why that is? Could it be that you don’t understand what you believe? Or is it that you cannot defend it?
Either way Jeffery, Al Gore and you are still hypocrites in the AGW debate and your unwillingness of you, Gore and people of your ilk to change your lifestyle shows that your talk about AGW is bluster and that you don’t actually believe what you type.
Actions speak louder than words Jeffery.
Did I hurt poor widdle GCs feelings by correcting his 3rd grade education? Waah, Waah, Waah. I’ll start going easier on you.
Now your comrade david claims to have proven that global warming is being caused by the Earth and Sun moving closer together the past century, and that it was verified by Occam’s Razor! I guess it really doesn’t matter whether the Earth orbits the Sun or vice versa, does it?
I’ll let you go back to your uninformed rants and personal attacks without picking on you.
Oh Jeffery, the only thing that hurts around here is your butt that is kicked by everyone who can read and think.
There are times when I feel pity for people like you that are so full of hatred for everyone that they have to lie and then not be accountable for the things they say.
Then I realize that some people never grow up.
So maybe instead of railing against a typo (which you admitted you knew) maybe you should start railing against people who don’t understand that zero times is not the same a twice. You know, the thing that people learned in kindergarten where 2 does not equal 0.
Oh wait, the person who believes that was you. The person who lied about answering a question was you. Hmmmm…. yep. That butt of yours got another kicking.
Oh and by they way Jeffery, Al Gore and you are still hypocrites in the AGW debate and your unwillingness of you, Gore and people of your ilk to change your lifestyle shows that your talk about AGW is bluster and that you don’t actually believe what you type.
Actions speak louder than words Jeffery.