As part of the President’s Climate Action Plan, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued two proposals to reduce methane gas emissions from municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills. New, modified, and existing landfills would begin capturing and controlling landfill gas at emissions levels nearly one-third lower than current requirements under the new proposals.
The combined proposed rules are estimated to reduce methane emissions by 487,000 tons a year beginning in 2025, which is equivalent to reducing carbon pollution from more than 1.1 million homes. According to the EPA, the environmental benefits ($750 million) from the combined proposals are estimated to be 14 times greater than the cost to comply ($55 million) in 2025.
The EPA will accept comments on the proposed rules for 60 days after they are published in the Federal Register and hold a public hearing within five days of publication if requested.