Let’s not repeat one of history’s worst methane leaks, Ohio

Methane emissions recently made headlines after 49 companies agreed to actively reduce their emissions at the UN climate gathering in November of last year.

Here in Ohio, that’s personal.

Growing up, I was always very aware of the environmental issues around me and even advocated for environmental changes at my high school.

So, it makes sense that I always try to find out what is happening in the world around me when it comes to environmental issues. With that in mind, it was quite shocking to me when I learned that one of the worst methane gas leaks detected in the history of the United States occurred in my backyard.

In 2019, about 60 kilotons of methane gas leaked into the atmosphere in Belmont County about two and a half hours away from my hometown in Powhatan Point.

This leak was so large, it was greater than the combined annual emissions of France, Spain, and Norway. A leak this terrible should have never happened, but fortunately, we can now take steps to make sure it’s never repeated.

Methane, commonly referred to as carbon dioxide’s “evil little brother,” is a greenhouse gas that is about 80 times more potent than CO2.

This particular leak was so potent that it displaced about 100 residents living near the leak. Wildlife in the area was threatened as well. Unfortunately, leaks like these are more common than we think. In Ohio, about 31 billion cubic feet of methane is released into the atmosphere from oil and gas operations each year – about the equivalent of $93 million worth of natural gas. Yet, it doesn’t have to be this way.

This is why more than 6,000 young people — many of them future engineers or otherwise prospective oil and gas employees — signed a petition calling on the oil and gas industry to use innovative technologies to monitor their infrastructure and actively reduce methane emissions from their operations.

Young Americans, like me, care deeply about our planet and want to see all sectors of our economy become more sustainable.

But, how can we prevent a leak like this from happening again in the future?

Well, for starters, this specific leak was detected via a satellite.

With technologies that detect leaks in oil and gas infrastructure, natural gas companies can avoid catastrophic leaks. Harnessing innovation to ensure that our energy industry continuously becomes more sustainable and efficient is paramount.

What should Dewine do?

There has also been recent government action to reduce methane emissions, as mentioned before.

Gov. Mike Dewine has the opportunity to develop an implementation plan that works with the industry to chart a path forward, rather than punishing them or hindering our energy production.

By leading on this issue, Dewine can cut the needless waste of our energy resources, create goodpaying jobs, and build a cleaner future for students like me.

Reducing methane emissions is imperative for the health of our communities and our planet overall. Ohio can and must be a part of the solution.

Lauren Wagner is an environmental engineering student at Ohio State University and the vice president of the American Conservation Coalition OSU Branch.