Coalbed Methane Outreach Program (CMOP)
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Get the latest information about CMOP resources and events related to mitigating methane emissions.
EPA's Coalbed Methane Outreach Program (CMOP) is a voluntary program with the goal of reducing methane emissions from coal mining activities.
Our mission is to promote the profitable recovery, utilization, and mitigation of coal mine methane (CMM), a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change when emitted into the atmosphere. Since 1994, we have cooperated with the coal mining sector in the United States to reduce CMM emissions. Currently, EPA’s CMOP is aware of 19 active and 57 abandoned (closed) coal mines in the United States that host methane mitigation projects. Active coal mines may host multiple projects because they generally release larger volumes of methane. Abandoned coal mines typically release smaller volumes, and usually contribute to one project.
Coal mining activities release methane, which is stored in the cleats and micropores of coal, when coal-bearing seams are disturbed. In coal mines, methane is a mining hazard because it is explosive at certain concentrations and its accumulation can result in a mine atmosphere deficient in oxygen. When released, methane is a precursor to ground-level ozone, a harmful pollutant that can irritate the airways. In the atmosphere, methane is a powerful greenhouse gas that is more powerful than carbon dioxide. Technologies can help capture methane from coal mining before it is released and use it as an energy source.