National Enforcement and Compliance Initiative: Mitigating Climate Change
Problem
![Climate Change](/system/files/styles/thumbnail/private/images/2024-06/mitgationimage_0.jpg?itok=FiSr4RFh)
Climate change poses a substantial threat to public health and safety, water resources, agriculture, infrastructure, and ecosystems. The Mitigating Climate Change National Enforcement and Compliance Initiative (NECI) will address three separate and significant contributors to climate change: (1) methane emissions from oil and gas facilities; (2) methane emissions from landfills; and (3) the use, importation, and production of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).
Oil and gas systems and landfills are the second and third largest sources of methane emissions in the United States. Methane is a climate super-pollutant that is more than 25 times as potent as carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere. HFCs are another potent greenhouse gas with a global warming potential hundreds to thousands of times greater than carbon dioxide.
Widespread noncompliance related to the unauthorized import, production, and use of HFCs, and methane emissions from oil and natural gas and landfill sectors have resulted in millions of tons of emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs), as well as emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and hazardous air pollutants (HAPs).
Goals
The Mitigating Climate Change NECI is using EPA’s tools that address climate change in enforcement and compliance assurance to reduce emissions of HFCs and methane.
Overview of Mitigating Climate Change NECI Goals
Goal |
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1 | Combat climate change by targeting, investigating, and inspecting significant sources of methane emissions from the oil and gas and landfill sectors and preventing the unauthorized imports, production, and use of HFCs. |
2 | Through enforcement actions, achieve measurable reductions of methane emissions from the oil and gas and landfill sectors and prevent the unauthorized import, production, and use of HFCs. These activities aim to reduce climate disruption and protect public health and the environment, particularly those in overburdened, underserved communities. This work in the oil and gas and landfill sectors will also have the co-benefit of reducing VOC/HAP emissions. |
3 | Ensure capacity and expertise are developed across regions and offices, as needed, to maintain robust compliance assurance and enforcement efforts across these sectors |