Transcripts For CSPAN3 Hearing On The Climate And Methane Pollution 20220720

Pollution, and ways to reduce emissions. From the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, this is about an hour and 40 minutes. The committee will come to order. Without objection, chair is authorized to declare a recess of committee at any time. As a reminder, members the committee to come to, order without objection the chair is authorized to get the clara recess of the committee at anytime. As a reminder, members participating in a hearing remotely should be visible on camera throughout the hearing. For members participating in person, masks are optional asper the office of the attending physician. As with inperson meetings, members are responsible for controlling their own microphones. Members can be muted by staff only to avoid inadvertent background wise. As a reminder, statements, documents, motions, must be submitted to the electronic repository to assist ccc dot repository at mail dot house. Gov. Finally, members and witnesses experiencing any technical problems should inform the Committee Staff immediately. Good morning, welcome to our cutting methane pollution, safeguarding, help creating jobs, and protecting our climate, hearing. Today well review Community Perspectives on Public Health, climate, and jobs. And the economic benefits of cutting methane pollution from oil and gas infrastructure. I will now recognize myself for five minutes for an Opening Statement. Welcome to part two, a very hearing statement on methane. The second largest source of heat trapping pollution in a major contributor to the Climate Crisis. Last week, we discussed a perspectives on cutting methane pollution and waste from the oil and gas sector. This week, we will discuss how slashing methane will help us safeguard the public help, create family sustain the jobs, and improve lives across the nation. It is clear that we need federal action. To reduce methane pollution from the oil and gas sector, which limits a largest industrial source in the United States. According to the majority staff report from the house size committee, oil and Gas Companies are routinely being to address super emitting leaks. Deployment of technologies to find and repaired leaks is limited, and it is inconsistent. In order to fix this, it is crucial that the federal government holds producers accountable for waste leaks. As well as harmful practices like venting and flaring. Unless we step up our, work American Families will continue to face a costly harms posed by the super pollutant. The Health Risks Associated with nothing pollution are clear. Americans Living Near Oil and Gas Production suffer more action attacks, as well as other long in heart problems. Living your oil and gas wells can be dangerous to pregnant women, causing lower birth weeds and preachers. In two key many cases these farms fallen frontline communities, including communities of color, and low income neighborhoods. But these outcomes are entirely avoidable. There are Ample Technologies available to help producers cut methane and Cost Effective ways. These include Continuous Monitoring technologies, handheld Optical Imaging sensors that use infrared light, satellites that detect plumes from individual sites, and technologies to cleanly canvassed methane on site. Deploying these technologies would allow the oil and gas sector to slash its methane emissions in half at no net cost. This is low hanging fruit, these technologies can reduced waste, and help save customers produces money. But we need more customers to take advantage of them. Strong methane regulations from the Environmental Protection agency to address the industries wasteful methane leaks will help drive innovation, and have supplement, create jobs. Good news, we are getting help from the biden administration. Last week, along with the European Union, and others, President Biden helped launch the global methane pledge, energy pathway. It is a commitment to drive down nothing pollution in the oil and gas sector, and to a lab Eliminator Team flaring is to just possible. The president is also committed to slashing methane emissions in half by 2020 by 2030. As proposed, epa who would reduce methane emissions by roughly 41 million tons through 2025. House democrats have also taken action. In the energy act 2020, we included improvements to natural gas safety, as well as requirements for minimum performance standards, strict, lines with the use of advanced technologies to find and repair nothing leaks. Last year, we passed a bipartisan resolution, which acronym trump administrations attempt to weekend methane safeguards. On to the bipartisan infrastructure law, we invested 4. 7 billion dollars to help states and tribes login remediate abandoned oil and gas wells. We also increased funding for reclaiming abandoned mines, modern terrorizing pipelines, and addressing orphan wealth. The house passed reconciliation bill also included a methane fee to dress wasteful pollution. And the house passed bipartisan innovation act, including provisions to help to prepare and replace the gas distribution pipeline. So getting her fame for methane pollution will protect the Public Health and the climate. It will catalyze growth of new Small Businesses and it will create tens of thousands of new jobs. So i would look forward to hearing from our Witnesses Today, as we bring these cost saving benefits to more american communities. I yield back about my time, and recognize the Ranking Member mr. Graves of louisiana for his fiveminute opening scene. Thank you, madam chair. I want to thank the witnesses for being here, and those that are here on line. Representative louisiana, i would argue as one state that is probably more risk from sea rise, from more intense storms than probably anywhere else in the country. And miss tom check, Moms Clean Air force. Ive got kids too, and i think a lot about the country that we leave them. The plan that we leave them. You see the news and you listen all the narratives that are out there and you get this perspective that one sides here, and another sides over here. When you actually start digging in and look at the data, the reality is you get a very different picture. You get a very different picture. I remind you that the United States has led the world in reducing emissions. We have let the world. I remind you that russian gas when it is delivered to your has 41 higher life cycle emissions. Russian gas delivered to asia, 47 higher life cycle emissions, as compared to the United States. The biden ministration has said, very clearly, the biden ministration, that there is going to be a significant increase in natural gas to be out of the next 30 years. They have said that there is going to be a 50 increase in Global Energy demand of the next 20 years. Yet, what is happening in the United States . We are watching our Administration Carry out policies that shuts down american oil and Gas Production. So you can say, oh this is great because we are getting rid of oil and Gas Production, so that is gonna reduce emissions, because they were. With the facts show is that that results in higher global emissions. Dont shake your head, that is a fact. It is a fact. You want to debate me, i cant wait. I can be to debate this. Because United States has some of the lowest intensity of emissions that conventional fuel production than any other country in the world. Dont take my word for, it at cias data. And it is crystal clear. It is crystal clear. You want to argue with me in the other one, National Energy technology labs, 2019, september job report. I would love to have a discussion. And so heres the thing, what do we do . Instead of going out there and stopping germany from building the nord stream 2 pro pipeline, the president United States effectively loves the remaining sanctions are blocking that were being built. You are facilitating more russian gas going to germany. Do you know we just took, just the gas coming in from russia into europe, in 2021, if we just stopped it and replaced. Not just, objects not to replace it, with u. S. Gas, do you know that the life cycle emissions reduction wouldve been 218 million tons Greenhouse Gas reductions. Tune in 18 million tons. According to your testimony, as you recall, he said theres 8 million tons of methane emissions from u. S. Oil gas and coal production. And im not gonna sit here tragedy math between total Greenhouse Gas emissions and nothing but my gosh. To an 18 million from one year. And according to testimony, i believe its 1 million tons for oil, gas, ankle. For all Energy Production United States. Ng up there and sayinthis administration shutsn the Keystone Pipeline whenever you have his own press secretary standing up and saying, oh no, they didnt stop the production of the areas where the keystone was gonna transport from. Theyre sending it to dully different means, theres higher emissions, and greater pant chance of spelling. Wait a minute, trying to do this and protect the environment. You know, whats happening right now this administrations policies they say, will Ban Russian Oil, will Ban Russian Oil and stop it. We said this was gonna happen when, we set it on february 22nd. If you dont do this right, it will cause greater emissions and problems. Look whats happening right now, russias making more money, making more money off their oil today than they were before they invaded ukraine. Look at their economy, look at the room. You know weve done, worst shelling selling Cheaper Energy to india and to china, which has higher Greenhouse Gas emissions. All weve done, incentivize the purchase of russian oil that has greater Greenhouse Gas emissions. Nice job. And on top of it, weve actually incentivized a source and on top of it, weve undermined the u. S. Economy and lost competitiveness. You know, ive been accused by the way, some of the lowest intensity of emissions and Energy Production in the world. Ive been accused of being of a shield of the oil and gas industry, the policies this administrations carried out, have resulted in over 100 percent increase in gasoline that have been heard as price gouging and all these massive profits from these companies. Whose cause that . They have, the policies were advocating for lower emissions. Ill ask you a question, whos the environmentalist . I want to welcome our witnesses patrice tomcik, field manager with Moms Clean Air force, she advocates for equitable solution to protect Childrens Health from air pollution and Climate Change. A resident of pennsylvania mrs. Tom chick, became involved Moms Clean Air force as a volunteer, joining other local parents to push for clean air safeguards after fracking was permitted at gas wells near her Childrens School. Doctor ribald kleinberg, senior richard scholar at Columbia University center for Global Energy policy. His work focuses on Energy Technology and economics as well as an environmental and oil and gas industry. Doctor kleinberg has a university of california, san diego. A sikh fellow at the Boston University institute for sustainable energy. It doctor caroline adlen, cofounder and Vice President of product markets at long path technology. A Greenhouse Gas Emissions Monitoring Service based in boulder, colorado. Dr. Alan earned her doctorate in geology from the university of colorado, boulder. She previously worked with the National Oceanic Carbon Cycle Group long green as gas flux algorithms. Sarah ann smith, chief of programs with Clean Air Task force, a member of Clean Air Task for Senior Leadership team, miss smith led the growth of the or organizations Methane Emissions Program building up a small team its substantial Global Operation on four continents. Without objection, the witnesses written statement he made part of the record, with that miss tom shakier now recognized for five minutes. Welcome. , thank you and welcome to managing member graves, members of the select committee, thank you for inviting me here today to speak about protecting our health, our climate, by cutting methane produce shun. Im patrice tomcik, field manager Moms Clean Air force, a National Community a more than 1 million moms, and caregivers united to protect our Childrens Health from air pollution can Climate Change. We envision a safe, equitable future World Teacher believed me there and live in a stable climate. Im a mother of two boys living in southwest pennsylvania on top of the merciless sailor, oil and gas operations are located in communities like mine. In the u. S. , the oil and gas sector is the largest industrial source of methane pollution, contributing to Climate Change methane is important Greenhouse Gas, the main component of natural gas. Children who live, learn and play near oil and gas operations face higher risk of exposure to oil and gas industry time full air pollution, across our nation more than 3. 9 million chill half a mile oil and gas operations might children attend the Mars Area School district, weather is gas wells, and gathering pipelines. The closest wells that have been fracked are approximately half a mile away from my Childrens School campus. Worth 3200 Students Health is put at risk, oil and gas operations and the climate method can organic compounds otherwise known as both can contribute to ground level ozone or smog. Smog the log irritant that triggers asthma tax, increases long infections. Children have a higher respiratory rate than adults, and thats can be higher rates of air pollution than adults. My boys play Outdoor Sports for school, im very concerned about what theyre breathing into theyre still developing lungs. In addition, the benzene are made by oil and gas operations, benzene can infect Lung Development and children, increase the risk of immune system damage, neurological problems and cancer such as childhood leukemia. As a parent of a child who had leukemia, i know firsthand how critical clean air is to good health. In fact, it was my youngest sons cancer journey that motivated me to speak out about protecting Childrens Health long before the first gas well with fracked near my school. Every day i send my kids to school i fear for their health. This is especially true for carson, whos at a higher risk of having cancer again. Im constantly reminded about how important my work is to protect Childrens Health from air pollution and Climate Change. The families i work for will tell you that our Climate Crisis is a health crisis. These families are experience Climate Change an impact so in smoke from recordbreaking wildfires poisons the air from millions across the west. When severe heat waves, regularly threaten Public Health praying on older adults, pregnant women, and low income community. The list goes on. This is happening right now, were all impacted by a especially at risk or black indigenous, and latino communities, who are disproportionately exposed to the effects from Climate Change and harmful pollution from oil and gas operations. We need Environmental Justice now, we need Climate Justice now. Quickly and significantly reducing methane pollution is one of the best levers we have to slow the rate of Climate Change now and clean up the air to protect Childrens Health. Our families need strong federal standards to create baseline methane protection, especially for states that failed to enact meaningful oil and glass methane production. This is why its comprehensive methane rule to illuminate routine flaring and include frequent inspections for small wells with leak prone equipment. As parents, we cant control the air of children breathe. Thats why we depend on you, our elected leaders to do your job to protect our children. What we want is for our Congress Members to urgently passed legislation that invests in a clean, Healthy Energy future. Thank you. Thank you very much, next doctor kleinberg, erectness for five minutes for the summary of your testimony. Welcome. Yes, good day chair castor, wrecking member graves, and members of the select committee. Its an honor to address you, the subtitle todays hearing safeguarding health creating jobs, protecting our climate. Methane emission mitigation is essential to reducing the rate of Global Warming between now in 2050. This is technically in feasibly, economically and generated a constellation of innovative u. S. Small business Small Business exploiting American Design and built technologies. We know we must reduce our use of fossil fuels, we know the transition from fossil fuels to zero carbon sources of energy will take time. One of our chief challenges will be to minimize the damage associated with fossil fuel use during this transition. According to the interNational Energy agency, the world consumed four trillion meters of natural gas in 2020. Assuming nations a dear to their Paris Agreement, the contributions will consume almost exactly the same amount of gas in 2050. Assuming the world can do much better than this, satisfying the iaea sustainable development, consumption would be 2. 5 trillion cubic meters. No matter how optimistic you are, that nations will respect their Paris Agreement commitments, you must take methane Emission Reduction seriously. Moreover, even after complete the methane problem will not go away by itself. Biogas and bio methane production and transport have been sources a climate pollutant as well. Its a time honor truth that you cannot manage what you dont measure. Epa relies on a mission factor methodology, which is now, sadly outdated. Remarkably, over the last seven years american industry, academia, and non governmental organizations have worked together to find out how much methane the oil and Gas Industries are actually emitting. The results show, underestimates methane emissions. Two examples of new measurement methods are aerial surveillance and Continuous Monitoring. The practicality of largescale, quantitative well established. A large numbers of largescale campaigns have been performed in major oil and Gas Producing regions. Costs are surprisingly modest. Doctor caroline adlen, who personifies the transformation of world class Economic Research into successful business. Will tell us about Continuous Monitoring in a few minutes. Youve probably heard that methane reduction can be no cost or even implemented for profit. Im sure this is true in some cases. But if it were generally true, industry would not be emitting as much methane as it does. I can tell you from personal experience, that the Petroleum Industry does not leave money on the table. As it, is oil and gas source methane emissions are declining at the meager rate of 0. 3 per year. The truth is, the Industry Needs to be nudged to do the right thing. This means, smart regulation, oil and gas methane emissions are when mediated by known engineering solutions. In my written testimony, i reviewed some simple measures that can reduce emissions by millions of tons per year. I compare these measures to the health and safety improvements i saw over the course of my career in the oil field. Our highly skilled and inventive workforce has made our workplaces safer while keeping american industry the most efficient and productive in the world. Given smart regulation incentives, theyll do the same a methane. Finally, to address Ranking Member graves point, ill point out that the russians taking advantage of inferior methane reporting methods to improve its environmental image. Like the United States russia uses the admission factor method when reporting its methane admission to the un fcc see. Unlike the United States, russia self reported methane emissions from its oil and glass sector declined by remarkable factor of eight, since 2015. As a result, russias self reported methane intensity is now less than that of the United States. If left unchallenged, the russian reports week in the case for a reduction of european dependency on russian natural gas. Only measurements reveal the truth. Please see my written submission for some specific recommendations, and thank you for giving me the opportunity to share these observance is with you. Thank you very much, next, dr. Adeline youre recognized for five minutes. Chairwoman in castor, man king member gays, members the committee thank you for inviting to testify today. My name is caroline adlen i, spent the last 15 years understand emission sources in the atmosphere. After decade researching this topic, i helped cofound long past technologies, my current goal i develop algorithms inverter laser measurements and emission volumes. I work with stakeholders across industries, academia, environmental organizations and government. On how best to reduce emissions. This morning, i look forward to discussing the technology and the benefits of measuring and negating methane emissions. I believe its a winwin, with climate and industry for neighboring communities. Methane leaks from oil and gas operations are unpredictable. They can happen anywhere and anytime,. Methane leak is invisible and odorless these characteristics make methane lakes very difficult to catch without events technologies. Govern by how long the leak g oethere are three pillars of advanced methane detection. Number one, frequency of emission ratings. So omissions are governed by how long the week goes on. Meaning, the faster you catch it, the better. Number two, say coverage. It is important to see omission points on the site. The epa method of handheld cameras, often misses and lit flares, for example. Simply because theyre high puffin round. Number three, sensitivities you differently sizes. As industry keeps reducing emissions, technologies must ultimately be able to help operators get to zero missions. So, there are a range of new method detection technologies. Airplanes and satellites generally perform periodic surveys. Aerial surveys only really catch larger leaks, but they do see all of the equipment on the site, and i cover large areas. This informs would emissions look like as a whole, including whether policy targets are being met. Fixed, continuous monitors, provide High Frequency emission readings. Allowing for rapid fixing of leaks. Continuous acknowledges vary in terms of coverage, but most of the ability to catch small leaks, and many of the ability to quantify leak volumes. U. S. Doesnt currently have a regulatory system established to leverage quantification data. But quantitative data provides many benefits. Quantification allows for operators to prioritize the fast repair, prioritize what equipment to replace, tune equipment set points, and ultimately assess how well compliance measures work. Long path technologies uses nobel prizewinning frequency cone lasers that image hundreds of thousands of colors of infrared light to measure methane, and other Greenhouse Gases in the atmosphere. Each leisure is tower mounted and covers 20 square miles, measuring emissions on the cypress site basis for customers within the purview. Long Paths Network style coverage lowers the barrier to entry for monitoring all types of pierre leaks including marginal and orphan well sites. So going back to the pillars of advanced monitoring, long path provides continuous emissions data to customers in realtime. Our readings cover all the equipment on the site, and we quantify all sizes and leaks. Importantly, the tech is proven through extensive thirdparty blind testing in the fields, and we made all of that data publicly available in closing, i like you are there for themes for methane detection, an emerging policy in differentiated markets, and respect to. Number one, method monitoring reduces emissions, save costs for operators, drives Energy Efficiencies for the market, and creates jobs. Long path tripled in size last year, with new jobs ranging from Field Missions in west texas, two Software Engineers working remotely across the u. S. Number two, the u. S. Is the world leader in methane Monitoring Technologies. If we recognize the aligned incentives of policy makers, climate advocates, and industry, the u. S. Gas can also become the cleanest in the world. To accomplish this, regulations need to encourage operators to use nine technologies, and plan for quantification based metrics. Epa rule shouldnt q clued a matrix that allows for Technology Neutral choices by operators. Sec rules should require measurements, not outdated inventories. And responsibly source gas standards should preclude greenwashing showing and quality monitoring. Relatedly, number three, the federal government could invest in the creation of independent third Party Parties to certify and create standards for new technologies. Lastly, number four, Continuous Monitoring is inexpensive and it more the pays for itself through reduce costs, and revenue retention for operators. We can outfit the permian base, the largest Gas Producing bases in the u. S. , for quantitative continuous methane monitoring, for less than the cost of 20 to 30 miles of interstate highway. Or as my colleague recur puts it, for less than the cost of the last james bond movie. So, the given the opportunity to contribute to todays hearing. Thank you, doctor eldon. Next, miss smith you are recognized for five minutes. Provider testimony, welcome. Chair castor, Ranking Member graves, members of the select committee. Thank you so much for inviting me to testify. My name is sarah smith, im the chief of programs at Clean Air Task force. A Global Nonprofit Organization working to safeguard against the worst impacts of Climate Change. But catalyze in the rapid development, and deployment of, low carbon energy, and other climate protecting technologies. I would like to emphasize three points. The world is warming rapidly, and serious impacts are here today. Simple Solutions Like finding and fixing plumes of methane, that oil and gas sites, can dramatically cut u. S. Emissions, and represent the fastest way to slow warming. While also limiting unhealthy air pollution, and creating jobs. Strong epa standards represent a key opportunity to accomplish this, and should be finalized this year. Whether it is severe storms, rising seas, deadly waves, or rampaging wildfires, the impacts of our warming climate are being felt today. And, recent reports from the inter Governmental Panel on Climate Change make it very clear that if emissions continue, these impacts will get much worse in the coming years. Methane is a key culprit responsible for about half a degree of the one degree celsius of warming weve already experienced. But nothings are still a key opportunity. It is high warming potential, during its relatively shortlived time in earths atmosphere provides us with our biggest chance to slow warming of the next few decades. Reducing methane is like a hand break for our warming planet, which is currently hurtling towards a much harder period two achievements may not be able to quickly adapt. Pulling this hand break, while we tackle Carbon Dioxide to, is essential. Bill to limit direct impacts on people, and importantly, to limit the acceleration of harmful feedback loops where warming causes more warming. Such as the rapidly disappearing arctic sea ice. The darker surfaces left behind after the ice melts, they absorb more sunlight, just like removing a natural canopy that exposed the dark parking lot in the summer. Creating more warming. A feedback loop. The good news is, we can cut methane emissions very rapidly, from oil and gas today. Just by using technology some practices that are already included in standards on the books and states like new mexico and colorado. Epa can cut oil and gas emissions by 65 in just a few years. The solutions to not require rocket science, just simple sound plumbing. The standard epa should put in place would require the oil and gas industry to regularly checked their equipment for weeks, using modern instruments, and replace equipment that is designed to dump methane gas into the air, with modern clean equipment that does that simply. Epas proposal last fall would go a long way to accomplish these reductions, but it needs to be strengthened. The Methane Emissions Reduction Program in the house passed build back better act, would serve as a effective compliment the ba regulations because we go into effect more quickly. For existing sources. Incentivizing that high summiting operators to rapidly invest in cleaner equipment. These policies would lead to dramatic cuts and methane from u. S. Oil and gas. Nearly 1 million tons per year of methane. And ask miss thompson underscored, these policies would come pollution beyond methane as well. Millions of tons of other ozone smog precursors, and over 100,000 tons of air toxics, like carcinogenic benzene every year. Finally, strong epa standards would create more than 60,000 hyping jobs according to sea atf estimates. In the oil and gas industry, many fracturing, and other sectors. These policies can dramatically cut emissions by 2030, and weldon global to address nothing emissions. As seen in the global methane pledge, led by the United States, and European Union. The u. S. Has shown greatly or ship on methane around the world. And can back at that leadership with strong action to cut methane here at home. Matt admissions, from oil and gas, are wreaking havoc on our planet and our communities. And we have the solutions in hand, to rein them in. We must use some of. Thank you. Thank you, miss smith. I think all of our witnesses for your insightful testimony. I like the american can do spirit theme that you all have. Now we will go to, member questions. First up, miss brown lee. You are recognized for five minutes. Good morning. Thank you, madam chair. And if you like this is the first time that i have ever been first on the committee to ask questions. So, thank you for that. Pierre according to the interNational Energy agency, natural gas markets could have sold an additional hundred and 80 billion cubic meters of natural gas if all the leaks from fossil fuel aberrations in 2021 have been captured. A volume equal to the entire gas market of europe. Miss smith, you noted in your testimony, that routine flaring, wasted enough gas in 2019 to heat over 8. 5 million homes. This seems like it should be a powerful economic incentive for industry to stop leaks and flares from drilling. So what do you think accounts for industrys failure to do more on their own to address the problem . Do you think industries failure to fix the problem is yet another argument for strong epa standards . Thank you so much for the question, representative brownley. And you are absolutely right. The amount of waste staggering. Billions of dollars worth of natural gas is being vented and flared and leaked every year. Why hasnt the industry acted . I think we havent had uniform standards, requirements, and that is the role that epa can play by issuing strong safeguards this fall. Do you see any industry beginning to regulate this on their own, just to protect their bottom line . Some companies have been more forward thinking in this area. We released a benchmarking report recently that looked at the top 100 operators, and there is a big range when it comes to emissions. So again, it underscores that the solutions do exist, but are not being used uniformly. Thank you, for that. Miss tomcat, thank you for your testimony and for being here. You mentioned and talked about your Childrens School being half a mile or so from fracking wells. So with all of the new technology, and satellite data that is really available now to track my math anglers admissions, has a state that helped you and in any way to raise awareness at the local level about these problems . [inaudible] i am sorry, could you repeat the last part of that question one more time . Yeah, i am asking if pierre, with all of the tools and data that we have available now to track pierre methane flares an emissions, has any of this, these tools, this data, hasnt been able to help you in terms of raising awareness in your own community, to improve upon those leaks, et cetera that are happening . But we do know is that theres a lot of oil and gas air pollution that is impacting communities where they live. And so, when the information, the technologies, are making it clear that we need federal methane rules and regulations to protect those communities, who are being impacted by glaring, and also, the pollution that is created from the leaks from small league prone wells, and so it is very important that these methane rules are enacted as quickly as possible to protect the health and pierre help protect people from Climate Change to. Thank you. And again, thanks for being here. The smith, you noted in your testimony that there are a variety of different kinds of licks detectors, including close range technologies and screening technologies. Do you have an estimate of how much these various technologies would cost pierre. For instance, the handheld device that you spoke a. I am sorry, was that for me, or dr. Olden . For miss smith, yes. Oh, sure. Thank you so much for that question, representatives. For russian utley overall the costs are very very low. We look at leading states like colorado, for example, which has had strong Leak Detection repair centered on the books, and it hasnt had an impact on the breakouts of productivity compared to other states that do not have standards. Miss olden, can you add anything to that . Sure. I completely agree with matt smith and it is Pretty Amazing how the implementing of this kind of monitoring drives amazing efficiencies for operators. And that really does keep product about line, identifies malfunctions which, whether it is a league or not, that saves money. And provides this kind of instant feedback on operations to help folks dial in their systems. So, the technologies themselves are very affordable. And, sorry. Thank, you i yield back manager. Next, representative gonzales, youre recognized for five minutes. Thank, you chairwoman castor, and Ranking Member graves for holding this hearing today for witnesses for all of your work any testimony. Doctor holden, im going to start with you. As you know, our but he played a valuable role in u. S. Energy and ovation ecosystems. Development, a transformative technologies and in some cases are too risky for the private sector to investment. Casually and to the future. It is great to see however that long path as a twotime rv recipient, particularly selection of this salon program. Despite his excesses of rp, many my colleagues and i remain concerned that some Companies May face bureaucratic barriers from agencies outside the d. O. E. In the rv process. The that chill future private slow down the path to investments within the past commercialization. Commercialization. So, thats the backdrop, can you provide some insight in the long path experience with regulatory agencies during the rfp process . Sure, were a huge fan of our p, the ability for the government to invest in high risk, high reward ideas and some of those wont pan out, some of them do in those are great for the American Economy when they do. So, working with other agencies its tough for federal regulations to keep pace with the kind of technological innovation thats happening right now. First steps in their draft rule, they open the door to new technologies which is huge. And weve been working directly with them, a whole bunch of other stakeholders include including dr. Kleinberg, get those rules across the finish line in terms of planning for the future of better technologies, to take hold. I think, to the extent that agencies can look at regulations that are potentially adaptable, future, and metrics we think we can achieve in the future. Thats a positive step. Thanks. Outside is there any specific recommendations you would make to improve the process on your side, to make sure that we dont have a bunch of Great Technology Companies Stuck in upper aquatic mess, which i know happens at times . Yes, the ability to have agencies create rules that are very much in Stakeholder Feedback is very positive. And certainly, a great step right now in terms of looking at agencies like our pa, d. O. E. , empty all are some of those groups would be to now, we really need to enable these technologies to take hold and get out their largescale. Its gonna be a governing body or independent group, i think our p e, d. O. E. Some of those agencies get help to fund independent group to create as i mentioned, standards of certification to ensure technologies going out in the field are really of the highest quality. Thank you. Shifting gears a bit, i want to take a minute to focus in on the various methane Monitoring Technologies Work Together to improve our detection systems. In recent years, when the most popular emission control devices has been satellites bubble satellite observation carry many benefits, it features some drawback such as that considerable range of uncertainty and, inability to apply to smaller admitting sources. Can you explain how Monitoring Systems like long path can work in collaboration with city satellites and drones to monitor and identify leaks . Yeah. As i mentioned, theres a real value in both those kind of largescale survey technologies as you mentioned. And having real fix moderates provide that mitigation. So, satellites are extremely powerful especially on the world stage. There are a lot of places on earth, its too hard, youre not gonna be able to get ground base monitors or even aircraft, in place. On a global stage, satellites are huge key to the puzzle. In the u. S. , where we do have the ability to blow this tech at scale, i see some value in Staff Solutions in terms of you get your continued monitor on your discreet path, take pat, lng terminals, compressor stations, and then theres a lot of other infrastructure thats a little more diffused. Gathering compliance and pipelines for example can be a real nice place to fill in that gap with some of the aerial technologies. Theres a lot of way to stack these technologies. Certainly, redundancy cant hurt in this role. Great, thank you for that. Thank you for all the work that youre doing and with that i yield back. Next representative 11. Youre recognized for five minutes. Thank you for holding today s hearing, chair castor, im glad you were continuing this conversation on the benefits of cutting methane pollution. I think of these issues as a parent, two kids, nine in eight years old. My wife and i encourage them to learn basic science and i thought i would start with some very simple facts. As weve heard methane is a key green gas driving global mean temperature rise while addressing Carbon Dioxide emissions gets prime focus of many conversations around Climate Change. In my district, confirmed but we already know, reducing Carbon Dioxide emissions alone is not enough, we need our 2015 climate targets. In order to stay below these metrics, the study notes we must focus on addressing methane emissions. Other non Carbon Dioxide pollutants in order to avoid triggering irreversible Climate Change. Methane is particularly important, it has a warming potential, nearly eight times greater than Carbon Dioxide over 20 years. And human one third of all Greenhouse Gases. Even methanes intense warming potential, stopping methane positions one of the most impactful interventions we can take in the short term to continue working to decarbonize all facets of our society. As weve discussed today, stopping methane lakes doesnt just have climate benefits, we also know that reducing methane emissions has key Public Health and economic benefits. As part of, it United States efforts to help reduce europe is dependent on russian fossil fuels, President Biden recently committed to providing an additional 50 billion cubic meters per year of u. S. Local national gas. Recent analysis by the Environmental Defense fund found that reasonable reductions in methane ways from leaks and flaring can mean 50 of President Bidens commitment of sending 50 billion cubic meters to our european allies. Seems to me, the oil and gas industry should focus on reducing ways of our National Resources as the most tangible short Term Solution to increase the domestic supply of natural gas. Miss smith, do you agree that reducing methane pollution by leak protection represents a key opportunity to increase our overall supply of natural gas and help address High Energy Prices both domestically and for our european allies . Thank you for this. Question yes. Ending wasteful venting and flaring for export to europe and should absolutely be a priority. Were talking about billions of dollars of gas going up in flames. We are going straight into the air in the u. S. We and i hope is that was really serious about maximizing the potential of our current gas, that we should be doing all we can to mitigate leaks and should be preventing flaring. With my time remaining id like to shift to discuss efforts going on my home state of california and using Aerial Surveys to improve the detection of methane lakes. Doctor kleinberg, as you know, between 2017 in 2021, carbon pilot programs, let a private using airplanes to detect methane lakes from sources including oil fields. As part of this initiative, 44 california facilities voluntarily repaired leagues, after they were notified that it was part of a pilot program. The fix has prevented us one 0. 2 metric tons of Carbon Dioxide from escaping into the atmosphere. Which is equal to taking about a quarter of 1 million cars off the road for a year. And as a result of the success, carbon map or are launching two satellites in 2023, with regular complete, untimely measurements not just for methane but Carbon Dioxide emissions as well as over 25 other environmental indicators. Doctor kleinberg, given the success of californias pilot program, what lesson should the federal government take for these efforts to improve standards and methods for detecting and remediating met National Level . The california survey, was a model for the way i think we should be moving forward in terms of regulation and measurement it was extremely comprehensive, 272,000 sites testified last week at that House Science Committee on this. This is exactly what we need to be doing. It is remarkably inexpensive to do a, and ask carroll and i have pointed out comprehensive. So, this is the way to go. Im very grateful to have the opportunity to have that pilot in california, i hope the rest of the country takes notice. Its great to hear from a u. S. Seek graduate on our panel today. I think the yield back to the. Chair next stop, representative carter, you are recognized. Thank you madam chair, thank you all for being here sle don t want to look as much as my colleagues on the other side of the aisle dont want to admit it, or dont like it. We have to admit that fossil fuel, that natural gas and oil are part of our portfolio for a long time i mean lets face it, we know a great percentage of our Energy Portfolio todays fossil fuels. That didnt happen overnight, it wont change overnight a matter how are we want to do that or how badly we want to do that. I need to tell you, im encouraged by the progress that the oil and gas industry, the fossil fuel industry if you will, has made in decreasing emissions. I had a group in my office earlier this week, a group of six Oil Companies that are doing a business up in canada. They have a desire, they have a goal of being Carbon Neutral by 2050. Even with the fossil fuels. I applaud them for that. I think thats great. I dont think we give enough credit to the fossil fuel and oil and gas industry for the progresses that theyve made in decreasing a missions. And a lot of that has to do with with the policy. Just last week, we had the governor of wyoming before this committee. He was telling us how he has directed the state to pursue a local goal of negative Carbon Dioxide emissions and can continue to use fossil fuels. So, its gonna be part of our future, i understand that. Technology is gonna play a big part of that as well. But i i wanted to pivot just a little bit, we all know that Climate Change, that this is a global problem. We would be remiss, and we are being remiss by not thinking about third world countries and about up incoming countries, developing countries. Because they are using fossil fuels and theyre going to. They do their best to use Renewable Energy and clean energy, but they are going to use whatever they have in order to get their economies going and to have electricity. These developing and growing nations. Just an example, indian governments are beautifully will miss, there are modeling shows theyre overwhelmingly dependent on fossil fluids. Even though theyre gonna have a rapid rise in renewables. Energies nigerias Vice President put it this way and i quote, no country in the world has been able to industrialize using Renewable Energy yet developing countries are being expected to do so when everybody else in the world knows we need gas powered industries for business. So, its just part of it. What doctor all done, i want to ask you my question for you is this, doesnt that mean that its extremely important to continue to invest, explore, and innovate in technologies like long path has, to reduce these emissions while still providing Reliable Energy . Absolutely. I think looking at the global stage, as i mentioned, there are satellites can kind of go everywhere, a lot of the time. We see the very, very large emissions that might be happening in other countries. But i think theres a lot of potential for exporting the technologies that have been developed here in the u. S. , like long path and the Aerial Surveys, there is all kinds of new tech here thats ready to go abroad as well. I think there is a great opportunity for the investments that have been made in u. S. Innovations, to be exported overseas and solve that problem. And yeah, also, the other pathway is weve got the technology here. Lets implemented and prove that the measurement that the u. S. Gas is clean and we can export that gas. Let me ask you this real quick, what about regulations, improving regulations encourage more adoption of technologies like we see it long path. Wouldnt that contribute to the potential for job creation in these areas . Absolutely. So the making sure that the new rules to come online here recognizing new technologies, and creating a direct honorarium for doing technologies, is going to be hugely important. To kind of stimulate that innovation in the Technology Sector and to get folks on the ground you want to use a. Just let me say, ive always that in order to address the situation were gonna have to have adaptation, innovation, and mitigation. And i truly believe that the greatest innovators, the greater scientists are right here in the United States of america. And we should be encouraging that. Thank you madam chair, and i yield back. Next, representative bonamici you, are recognized for five. Vince thank you so much share casten. Thank you to the witnesses. I serve on the science dave Basin Technology committee as well as a select committee, and earlier this month we released a majority staff report finding that oil and Gas Companies are failing to a dress super middle east and are not consistently deploying the technologies that exist. And doctor report was there from long path to the hearing that we spoke about this. And i wanted to follow up and some of the questioning that youve been responding to. We know, as youve established, as others have established, the technology now exists and that there are financial incentives. But apparently, the industry is not adapting this technology. So how can congress motivate industry to adapt this Continuous Monitoring technologies. And it is fun about as well that i appreciate your comment. Something that i brought up over the last decade on the science committee, that regulating technology is challenging because the Technology Changes so much more rapidly than regulation. So can you talk about the things that congress can do to motivate industry to adapt Continuous Monitoring and also you can mention as well. Theres been a lot of talk about the oil and gas industry but thats not the only source the methane. Could you talk about how Technology Works with other methane imaging sources . Thanks, congresswoman bonamici. Yeah those are great questions. So with the epa rules and the sec rules, another was coming down the pipeline. I mean, i think just being ready. The technologies are here. And knowing that we can achieve that metrics we want. If you want quantitative metrics, like methane intensity. That effectively scale across different productions, different basins in a meaningful way. We can get there now with the technology that we have. So i think in the immediate term, we ruled that we have worked a lot of stakeholders. Dr. Kleinberg have in a great leader in this process of creating a technology matrix, sort of Technology Neutral matrix, the head directly implemented to the rule. So that we can have those technologies ready to go. And the reason that is important is for industry adoption is if the epa rules, for example, or the sec rules, dont allow a direct honor for this new technologies, then industry is gonna be stuck doing the old methods. So theyre gonna be stuck doing these old rgi surveys four times a year, and theyre not gonna spend extra money to do the monitoring that is really effective along path. So, we need to make sure that we are encouraging at least not disincentivizing operators cheesy psychology is. So i think those will be really important things to recognize the technology is here, and then build up to meet that. And then to your second point, that is absolutely a huge issue is the biogas and other incredible innovations coming online. They are gonna monitoring to. Because if you are effectively capturing nothing from various sources, and moving it around, its not the same type of leaks as you know oil and gas of instructor. Theyre equivalent, equally difficult to find out how did find. And so need to be sure we are incentivizing the development in the application of measurements in these realms as well. Similarly, inventory numbers just dont get it. You just cant predict where when these leaks are gonna happen. So you need to be using measurements. Thank you so much, dr. Eldon. Doctor feinberg, in your written testimony you cite the need to reform epas alternative means of Emission Reduction process. Would you please explain a little bit about the process and how dressing this limitation would increase the deployment of methane emissions reduction technology. Yes, i will be happy to. One thing that is really important regulations is having them adaptive. Because, this field in particular, so Much Technology is being developed so fast, this begs for a regulatory scheme that takes into account new technology, which has been blossoming in the last seven years. And the alternative means of a mission limitation is a provision of the Clean Air Act that basically anticipates that. But the way it has been implemented so far by the Environmental Protection agency, it is turned out to be more of barrier than an enabler. And in fact, since 2012 when it was first implemented for methane, there was no applications between 2012 and 2020, while people like caroline aldrin, and others were developing this phenomenal technology. Because the process was so onerous. Now, it approved a bit in 2020, but still, one application which is still sort of floating around an epa, we need to do better than that. We need to give epa the resources to handle these applications and regulations that encourage innovation, not discourage. I appreciate that, and i have another question for miss smith, but im out of time, so im going to be submitting that for the record as well as some followup for dr. Kleinberg. So thank you very much, madam chair, i yield back. Thank you. Next, mr. Armstrong you are recognized for five minutes. Thank you, madam chair. I just if we think capturing a hunter percent of the natural gas with lower Energy Prices in the near term, then i dont think we are really being honest about our products to market. In fact, one of the two biggest rivals for north dakota is not producing more oil and gas right now, as human capital. We will work for a shortage is a lot of people do, and gas capture. And so, if we capture had percent of the gas in north dakota right now, we would drop probably 250, to 350,000 barrels of oil a day. And that would happen overnight. So, you wouldnt produce more gas, you produce less oil. And the reason for that is we are the Geographic Center for north america, we dont have the capacity to get that product to market. So when we are considering methane emissions from oil and gas industry, we continue to get the majority paid the industry with one broad brush. I think it is important that when we talk about who these producers are, what they are where they do business, yes there are large multinational companies, but the majority of regulatory building from broad federal onshore policy weve all on small and medium sized Gas Companies. And companies rightfully have concerned with these proposals. It is not because they want to pollute, and it is not because they arent already being regulated. It is because they dont want to be subjected, subject to proactive regulation from a market. And the rebound with actions by the epa in congress, as they stifle invasion. And even if they are intended not to buy the very nature of federal regulation, theyre burdensome. The as majority have noted states are already regulating and supporting innovative technology. We did this in north dakota in the when i served in the state legislation talk about relating our pipeline model. And at that time winning but sensors, and were really interested in how you use them. It turns out they dont work when it is 25 below zero. So, that when they didnt work and we continue to move forward. North dakota does that to the da q, through a bath mat stain regulations already on the books, but the problem is, when your virtual bomb airy epa policies, or one size fits all approach, you cut a new technology that by the very nature of federal regulation, it is unruly, its burdensome, and its unusual by me to stop duplicative regulations that only slow down regulation and limit methane. Doctor olden, in your presentation you walk through that first Technology Developed by long path and support continuous modern infrastructure facilities that provide relief protection unquantifiable data in realtime. How do you accurately quantify admissions, helps operators that uses this Technology Work morbidly, and having that book benefit both the industry and also reduce emissions . Yeah, your question is about how quantification helps . Yeah. Yeah, so quantification provides a lot of insights. I mean we hear a lot of operators say you needed smoke detector, you need to know theres a leak or not. But when folks are to onboard quantitative data that is actually echoed a reliable, we see that we find a lot of value in that. So for example, you can, folks can prioritize leaks repair, they continued when they want to get alerts, what size leaks they want to get alerts on, what type of leaks they want to get alerts on, in order to really be efficient about attacking the worst leagues first. They can track and compare how covid performs in different settings, they can look at say hey you know, on windy days this separate area that doesnt have a burner control unit, blows out. And leaks gas. But this other one over here with a more advanced doesnt so we see a lot of value in being able to track those missions overtime. Really look at their elections are ever qualified reductions overtime, and compare side to side and equipment women. And i appreciate that. We are always interested if itll work into february north dakota, that is usually a big concern for us. So, as you say in your testimony, Technology Neutral regulations collapse for adoption deployment of new technologies. How can a neutral Regulatory Framework up to play these technologies and how important is that the regulatory agencies work with the different stakeholders to adopt a framework that allows this approach. Yeah, great question. As i mentioned, there is a group of stakeholders. And that is ngos, technologies like myself, legal experts who are together kind of drafting what we call a matrix approach to the double. And we are very hopeful and i think expecting that the epa will adopt this new rule. And what that will do is allow for certain Technology Neutral metrics to be put forth. Like how frequently does the Technology Look look, whats your Protection Level doesnt need to have, what kind of size leaks as a deal to find reliably. And so, that is a great first step in terms of kind of. I think that probably will go in the epa rule, and i applaud the epa for opening the door to that type of regulation. The second thing i want to emphasize what doctor kleinberg said about adapter regulation. So, if the rule right now, this is gonna be more of a struggle because this pushes epa rolls a little bit further away from where they have been historically, which is difficult. But Getting Place the ability to pick the matrix you want for the long term, qualification, and build around that, and then asked the rule years go by and three years, in five years, and seven years, we turn to the best current science on what emissions are, and the best current science and what you want and tune. I yield back. Representative half man, you are recognized for five minutes. Thank you forecaster, and thank the witnesses for the very interesting testimony. Mr. , dr. Kleinberg. I would like to start with you. You gave us a lot to think about in terms of methane from the oil and gas sector. But we also hear a lot about methane in agriculture, and other sources. Could you just, in terms of the scale of the problem we are trying to deal with, at that end of the context of the conversation . Yeah, ill be happy to. You know, people talk about oil and gas because basically the people around the when gas industry are very well capitalized, very high technology. So that looks like a good sector to work on, and indeed it is. Nonetheless the Agriculture Sector is a bigger problem. And in fact in that survey in california, many of the largest sites turned out to be either Agricultural Dairy farm sort of thing, or Waste Management landfills and so on those are problems that we should not ignore. In some ways they are sort of easier to deal with because it is a less itinerant industry you know theres always new wells here in there with many possibilities for leaks and High Pressure gas and so. On agriculture might be easier in a different way or different problem but, things that we should be working on right now. Devin solutions though. David solutions,. Yes appreciate that. So if we achieve total nothing control miller linda gas actor, and just did a great job with all these technologies both detecting the methane [inaudible] and eliminating the leaks, if we are meeting the ever higher amounts of Global Energy demand with natural gas, we are still increasing co2 in the atmosphere, arent we . Yes. Its important we think about this methane issue, obviously, we have to apply the hand break that miss smith and others have talked about. Its a super pollutant 85 times more global is happening really fast. So, we need to get methane under control if were not simultaneously bringing concentrations down, were in real trouble. Definitely, in the long term methane acts fast. And gives you, a provocation. In the long run, we need to deal with co2, absolutely. I just wonder about the moral have sired of assuming its just my colleagues around, theyll tackle this methane problem, well do that glow with Clean Natural glass, that everything that innovation will figure out ways to capture the co2 admissions will use offsets, any thoughts about the moral hazard of giving this clean bill of health to natural gas, as we stare down a Climate Crisis . I think your concern is well founded. I will say its been brought up this morning. That Carbon Capture and frustration is another route to taking Carbon Dioxide out of the atmosphere. So its time travel . But neither of them are happening or at scale right now. I mean, do you disagree . The technology exists to do a. The problem is that c 60 a ton, we need a price on carbon to make it work. No one takes away your garbage for free. You dont disagree that right now ccs is a hypothetical, all this additional natural gas were trying to sell, none of its being captured, its a hypothetical because theres no price on carbon. Thank you. You know, the other point i think is that methane pollution has all of these other pollution impacts. The Environmental Justice impact, miss smith, could you speak a little bit more about the other reasons that we ought to be very, very concerned in terms of Public Health and Environmental Justice in reducing methane pollution . The long term exposure, to hazardous pollutants from the oil and gas operation can be life altering, or communities that live near them. Benzene, a known carcinogen, is released inside methane, and very large amounts. Then theres the estimated asthma tax and children each year directly attributable to the smog from the oil and gas industry. So again, we need epa to use its wellestablished to go as far as i possibly can to reduce many emissions. And the pollution release in addition to the methane rules, epa should use as wellestablished authority to reduce air pollution from key sources like power plants, and vehicles to protect communities. Thank you very much, i yield. Back next, mr. Palmer youre recognized for five minutes. Thank you, madam chairman. I appreciate the opportunity to speak about justice, especially when it comes to how people are impacted by policies across the aisle. They talk about Environmental Justice, they rarely talk about energy injustice, our injustice i brought this up in this committee, and other committees multiple times. About this town in illinois, pembroke township, a town of about 2200 people, i think the population is over 90 , 97 african american. These are people who dont have access to natural gas, therefore to hit their homes with propane or wood burning stoves, some of them are cooking on wood burning stoves. I just wonder, miss tomcik natural gas line . Its like yes or no, its not as huge. Yes or no. Thank you representative. I think its important, its yes or no. Would you support a natural gas line for these low income families that live in pembroke township, illinois, yes or . No i ill take that as a known. The good news is, Jesse Jackson disagrees with you and others in the Civil Rights Movement disagree with you. And they have worked tirelessly to get an answer about the pipeline, ellipse illinois legislator has approved. It will be getting access to clean, burning natural gas that they can use to heat their homes, cook their food, warm up their water, and hopefully bring some businesses to their city so they can have a better jobs. Thats in my opinion, Environmental Justice, Economic Justice and energy justice. Also want to point out some things about the research. We love to talk about technology and this committee, and some of our other. Committees and we act as though methane is a problem that cant be solved. Thats just not the case. University of illinois since we were talking about the state of illinois has developed methanol. Liquid fuel. Pacific northwest National Laboratories burning methane with 002 emissions. Am i tease converting methane to fuel or chemical feedstock, onset at the well head. That technology not commercially available yet, but i predict that it will be. Were doing a tremendous job in that area and theres also the issue of the research that shows common Clay Products such as what they use in cat letter, can be used to curb methane emissions. I realize that methane is a major Greenhouse Gas, but its also one of the most volatile Greenhouse Gas. I want to ask, doctor all did, you mention in your testimony development on new technology to detect methane leaks is essential to reduce methane emissions. Tell me a bit about what long path is doing to reduce methane lakes without the government mandate . Yeah, well, theres been some pretty great industry of adoptions of trials of these technologies. The industry is interested. Theyre testing stuff out, theyre looking at the new tack, theres sometimes traveling multi different types of technology. And kind of seeing how emissions can be reduced. So, i think as i mentioned, no one wants to do double up on what they need to do. Having the regulations allow that would be phenomenal. I expect that to happen. When you talk about methane my colleagues on the other side of the eye and the fact of the matter is thats just not true. You noted reducing these lakes as a win for industry. Let are the benefits . I think there is a financial benefit for reducing these leaks would that be accurate . Yes, there certainly. Is it adding a really powerful tool to the tool kit to be able to tack whats going on in their operations. Its not just leaks that are the problem, leaks are generally assigned a malfunction or an inefficiency and the system. So, its a real powerful tool to add to the tool kit to just drive a missions operations. Thank you, miss tom jake, i just want you to feel bad about putting you on the spot. Thank you. Ive yet to have a democrat to say that we support that, thank you. Mr. Palmer yields back. I recognize myself for five minutes of questions. The reason weve devoted so much of this time in this committee to hearings to methane is because its a super pollutant. Its super damaging to the climate. And thats drying higher costs, we talk about some of the health impacts, doctor wen your testimony, what caught my attention he said venting methane into the atmosphere is like throwing garbage into the street outsider. Its worse than that. Its like throwing good food that could be used elsewhere into the streets outside your home. The last committee meeting, we had governors talked about what they were doing, and governor grissom from new mexico, worked with all stakeholders and has really developed a model, but theres a real patchwork of whats going on across the country. Is that why its important to have strong, federal standards here on methane . What is your view . Yes, i think federal regulations are needed, states very allot. Of a big believer of federalism. But there are some states that are very much advanced in adopting new technology and encouraging it, colorado comes to mind. New mexico is very. Good canada, canada came up earlier. Canada has some strong regulations. But other states, not so much. We need to a level the Playing Field and also with respect to our exports to the rest of the world, particularly europe, europe wants to see up stream, low upstream Greenhouse Gas footprint. Thats best done on a national scale, especially since so much comes out of the Permian Basin through corpus christi. Do you agree, you said we have the solutions in hand to reduce the methane then you said this is not rocket scientists its more like modern plumbing. What is your view on the importance of federal standards . Yes, i agree with doctor kleinberg. We have a patchwork of state rules and large emitters like texas that havent enacted. We need those federal safeguards and they need to abide to the existing problem thats responsible for about 60 of the pollution problem in the u. S. Miss tom check, do you really spoke from the heart, your perspective as a mom, the impact of pollution on your children and really spoke on behalf of the parents everywhere for their hopes. I mean, this is a massive Public Health issue i know we get involved in a lot of the technical questions overtime air pollution is a killer, and this is harmful, harmful stuff and if there are ways to help reduce the health attack, the harmful consequences to our kids we should be doing that, right . Whats your opinion . Yes, absolutely the reality is the oil and gas operations that are in communities today, are gonna be there for a long time. And the potential to in pollute is gonna be there for a long time. So, we need federal rules to protect these communities, who are living near them. So, what we do know is that states like pennsylvania, its the second largest natural gas producer in the nation and the oil and gas industry in that state is responsible for and bedding metric tons of methane annually. And strong epa methane rules could quickly and significantly lower those methane pollutants along with the accompanying b of cs that are really impacting the communities. The reality is, we dont know exactly whats in the air in communities because there is no Widespread Community monitoring. Thats something that really needs to be addressed in order to protect this space, im hoping that apa will come out really Strong Solutions to help communities that are living with this today. And what do your kids say . My kids are worried about Climate Change. Theyre worried about the oil and gas wells in their communities. When we talk about it, they are concerned about what the world would be for their children, when theyre old enough to have children. Theyre teenagers right now. I just want to let you know that i tell my kids i was coming here, and my sunset let them know that im the best lacrosse player in the country, that i won the state championship. I tell you this because i want you to know that we are people, we are real families, we are individuals here with oil and gas. And we need methane rules to protect our health from air pollution and Climate Change. Thank you very much. Miss miller, youre recognized for five minutes. Thank you, chair and thank you all for being here today. In my home state of west virginia, which i talk about frequently, we are abundantly rich in Natural Resources that power our community and our country, and our world. Im a member of this committee because our Energy Producing communities deserve a voice in the debate on the future of energy and climate policy. Im deeply committed to finding the solutions to come battle michelin. Although our world climate, has changed and will continue to change created, earth before never before that we can depend to help us solve these problems. To mitigate the emissions. , but the willingness to have the ability to cross the aisle have tried to make it impossible to invest in the reduced missions from reliable sources of energy. Without future investment, these technologies wont even exist. We wont be able to bring our Energy Producing communities along into the next generation of prosperity. Doctor alden, thank you for joining us today i was intrigued reading your testimony on the work that long path technologies is doing to track methane emissions. Can you explain a bit on how methane monitoring, mix the oil and gas industry is more viable for a less carbon intensive future. Thank you congressman. Measuring methane emissions really does continue to contribute to productions for oil and gas. I do think it is important for the public and private sectors to both invest heavily in technologies that can help us produce emissions whenever possible. I think it is a win win for reducing emissions. More generally, can you talk about the importance of continued investment in more traditional forms of energy and the new technologies that will support those types of producers . I cant speak to the general investment in technology in feels because that is not quite my expertise, but i cant speak to helping these technologies continue to evolve and be more responsive, more sensitive, more quantitative. It is certainly going to help our thats true. Long path currently operates in the basin which is quite flat. Does the technology also work in more manchin as areas like west virginia, where we have abundant natural gas and oil reserves . Thats a great question. Long path technologies is a very new technology. Right now, we are at that max inefficiency in terms of our system being able to get to smaller and smaller sites. The reason that is is we use one laser to cover many oil and gas facilities. In areas like this, they are ideal for us because they can spread the cost of the system out over many and many operators and drive the cost of monitoring two very low levels. Certainly as our technology continues to evolve, we will be able to shrink down and get up to areas like marcellus, and where you guys are. Again, keeping these technologies rolling, keeping that American Innovation pushing forward will certainly help get monitoring where needs to be. Thats why investing is so very important in innovation. Thank you, i yield back my time. Next up, mr. Crenshaw, you have the next five minutes. I think we all agree that we should quantify, we should detect, we should limit emissions, we have been trying to help Companies Like long path get the epa approval to get the it should also be said, none of us want any harmful particulates in the air. We should note that these are well regulated. I do want to take a step back and note some inescapable facts. Number one, methane is simply a component of natural gas. Number two, natural gas has been and will be a key factor in reducing global emissions as it displaces higher eating coal. Number three, no matter what we talk about, the demand for natural gas and energy in general will increase drastically. Number four, u. S. Natural gas is far cleaner than our largest competitor, russia at 41 . Now we have a costbenefit question on our hands. The citizens are facing higher Energy Prices and suffering from the associated inflation, this administration cant stop coming up with ways to discourage investment in our domestic oil and gas industry to increase in drug production, which is our only hope to these prices anytime soon. If we want to tell the American People today that they should accept even higher prices, there better be quite the extraordinary benefit awaiting them. Here is the thing, oil and gas methane emissions make up about 20 of global methane, or global emissions. The u. S. Makes up about 7 of that global emission. U. S. Oil and gas makes up about 2. 8 of global methane emissions. In the end, we are talking about tackling 2. 8 . You have to ask, what will happen . What will reducing a fraction of a fraction, at great costs, even really accomplished . Miss smith mentioned earlier that this was the fastest way to reduce global emissions. But this is clearly false, just by the numbers. If we want to be factual, we recognize that 50 of the worlds emissions come from foreign coal. Foreign coal is most likely to be displaced by natural gas, if we can get our product there. Domestic Gas Producers tell me that they could could ruble exports in the next ten years. If our export policy was targeted at displacing foreign coal this would have the emissions equivalent of electrifying 100 of u. S. Passenger cars, powering every home in america withdrew top solar and battery packs, and adding 54,000 windmills, which would mean doubling u. S. Wind capacity. That would seem like a better investment to me if reducing global emissions was our goal, while also maintaining some kind of price stability and energy reliability. It seems like we can have it all if we want. So, my questions are for dr. Kleinberg. You talked about russian gas earlier and some of the problems with measuring their gas and how we can compete with that. Frankly, if a country is looking to purchase natural gas, should they purchased from the u. S. Or russia . Well you know, to be honest we dont actually know the answer to that question. Ive studied the russians statistics very carefully and they look fishy. Im not done tracking down exactly how they managed to reduce their reported emissions by a factor of eight. It is suspicious. It is suspicious. But, the real answer is, we need to be measuring in both countries. Weve talked about aircraft, weve talked about the Continuous Monitoring, satellites. If the interstates does it, other countries will start to do it as well. If that United States doesnt i think thats what i wanted to get out. Why would we think . That why would increasing our own regulations encourage the russians, who are coulee not our friends these days, why would that encourage them to care about the environment of a sudden . They are busy invading other countries. Russia is a tux case. But they are the biggest one, we are talking about gas, theyre the biggest one. Thats right. We have to basically show that we are doing it right and that European Union and the other buyers, they have to determine, whose data is more credible . Is it the measurements from the United States, or the spreadsheet exercise with a strange numbers from russia . I think that europeans are smart enough to figure that out. I would hope so, they recently cast sold a large deal with the texas oil and gas company for that reason, making up things. Our National Labs have already done this, im sure you have reviewed their work, that work is unbiased and very thoughtfully done. With that, im already out of time. I think we got the point across. Thank you madam chair. Next up, Ranking Member graves, youre recognized for five minutes. Thank you madam chair. Doctor kleinberg, i appreciate you being here. I want to follow up on crenshaws questioning the. Russia, for weeks, they sat there at the border and said they werent going into ukraine, they were performing a special military operation. Later, they said they were liberating ukrainians who wanted to be liberated. They denied any Human Rights Violations when things were clearly, there is clear evidence that that was not the case. My point is here, im not sure russia has much credibility. We can sit here all day long and talk about lies of vladimir putin, or methane numbers. I do want to ask you though, you noted in your testimony that theres likely some distortion. I heard you tell mr. Crenshaw that some of the russian numbers are fishy. I did want to ask, what do we do to put a better system in place to actually get more accurate measurement . Can you explain the benefits of International Methane Emissions Observatory . I would be happy to. You know, russia is using the same system that was first used in the United States pioneered by the epa and the Guest Research institute back in the 1990s, which was the best method of the time. It is basically a spreadsheet that involves no measurements. Russia copied that. Most countries do copy what we do. How they implement it, that is another question. But, i think by the same token, we need to. Now that we have these wonderful, excuse me, new instruments, such as long path, the Aerial Surveys that were mentioned and so on. We can do a lot better, and other countries will talk. Yes i want to point out, your from louisiana, when i have been around the world talking to Petroleum Engineers they are trained at lsu, theyre trained at texas salem, theyre trained at oklahoma. The american influence is very powerful in this industry and once we do it right, other countries will and then the purchasing nations, the europeans, the japanese, the koreans, are going to say yes, we want this, it is verifiably cleaner. On to thank you for listing universities in order of prominence. Doctor alton, when your colleague at long path testified in Health Science a few weeks ago, they talked about the importance of epa regulations and encouraging innovation to provide a path to new technologies to determine methane leaks more effectively. Would you mind expanding on that and talking a little bit about the opportunities, some of the challenges that companies are facing in deploying those technologies . Yes, so a lot of companies are trying out the new technologies right now and they are seeing what it is all about, testing the waters. It is going to be really important to be able to take that next step and have policies, regulations instance devised and encourage of interest to use these new technologies. Another piece of the puzzle is, if policy makers are interested in the data that comes with that, they are going to encourage and incentivize producing that data. Certainly we wont do that with a stick, but rather do with a carrot. We see a lot of people trying stuff out. We want to see the policies encourage Widespread Adoption and we find that the people who dont put put the time into integrate long path data to improve efficiencies. Miss tomcik, again i want to thank you for being here. Please know that my Opening Statement was an effort to attack you, my Opening Statement is that im up here to, i care a lot about the environment and the plan that we leave our kids. I think the data shows a pretty different outcome then a lot of folks believe the narrative to be. I was curious in your testimony, i think you said, i think i got this backwards earlier, you said that is estimated the old gas in industry emits 16 million tons of emission annually. The domestic oil and gas industry issues half of that, orders 8 million tons. Do you understand the difference between your testimony and the other testimony . The 16 Million Metric Tons annually is based off of Environmental Defense funds information. But what they do is they are looking at the measurements that are taking directly from oil and gas and using estimates to calculate those. Id be very happy to provide that information to you. That would be great if you could. I wont ask if you could provide some information on the you made a comment that minorities are more impacted in your testimony. If you could just provide some doubt on that because last night someone said that their dad actually showed the opposite. Madam chair, i want to ask unanimous consent. From another member of energy companies, another one from june 24th from a x p c be included in the record of hearing, both talking about the next heat without objection, so ordered. I want to thank the Witnesses Today for you hearing and insightful testimony, and also ask unanimous consent to omit to the record a letter from the evangelical network. Thanking the committee for our hearing and lets see, the Environmental Defense fund also, a letter from then on recent scientific papers, economic reports, highlighting the need for strong federal rules that comprehensively target methane, waste, and pollution. And the third letter from clark Valve Company that is encouraging the committee to weigh in with epa to consider lowering methane emissions beyond the current proposed levels. Thanks again, this is a critical topic and we appreciate the insightful testimony and the participation of the members, the committee is adjourned. [inaudible] President Biden has renamed bukowski administration, watch live coverage of the confirmation hearing, thursday at 10 15 am eastern on cspan 3. Also on our free video app, cspan now are online at cspan. Org. Next, Senate Hearing on efforts to modernize and optimize old navy shipyards. The Senate Armed Service ands subcommittee heard from navy and government officials about the capabilities of aging shipyards. Ship maintenance, staffing shortages. This is just over an hour