Largely Due to Rise of Natural Gas Usage

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its latest Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (GHGRP) data this week. The report shows that U.S. greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions declined 2.6% in 2017 and is now down 12% since 2011. The data also shows the decline is “primarily caused by a 19.3 % decline in reported power plant emissions since 2011, which can be associated with the growth of natural gas as a primary power generation source.

The Washington Times covered the latest EPA data, reporting;

“Americans have the cleanest air in decades due in part to the increased use of natural gas to generate electricity, demonstrating that environmental protection and economic growth are not mutually exclusive.”

EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler also pointed to the United States’ success in reducing emissions, saying:   

“While many around the world are talking about reducing greenhouse gases, the U.S. continues to deliver, and today’s report is further evidence of our action-oriented approach.”

The latest EPA data also shows that methane emissions from oil and natural gas facilities continued to trend down last year even as production climbed to near record levels.