SACRAMENTO - The Air Resources Board today applauded the Obama Administration’s announcement of new efforts to reduce emissions of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas.

"Slashing emissions of potent short-lived climate pollutants like methane is a critical part of the comprehensive range of actions needed to combat climate change," said Mary Nichols, Chairman of the Air Resources Board.  "Today's action builds on the leading efforts of states like California and represents another key step the President has taken to cut greenhouse gas emissions, improve public health, and invest in cleaner, more sustainable energy."

Methane is a key ingredient in natural gas, and can be generated from a variety of sources. California has already taken steps to reduce the release of methane from landfills. The Air Resources Board has developed a carbon offset protocol under the state’s cap-and-trade program to curb agricultural methane emissions, while also designing a protocol to curb methane emissions in the mining industry. In addition, the state’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard incentivizes the capture and use of methane from landfills and dairies for use as transportation fuel.

The recently completed AB 32 Scoping Plan update increases California’s focus on reducing methane and other gases with high global warming potential. These are gases which occur in much smaller volumes than carbon dioxide, but have a much more intense impact of climate change.

To read the White House Strategy to Reduce Methane Emissions, click here (http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/strategy_to_reduce_methane_emissions_2014-03-28_final.pdf).

To read the White House Climate Action Plan, click here (http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/image/president27sclimateactionplan.pdf).

To see Air Resources Board programs to fight climate change, click here (https://www.arb.ca.gov/cc/cc.htm).

To see the AB 32 Scoping Plan update, click here (https://www.arb.ca.gov/cc/scopingplan/2013_update/draft_proposed_first_update.pdf).