Opinion: Reducing methane emissions in Utah to ensure a clean air, climate-positive Olympics

Thank you to Gov. Spencer Cox for his leadership and hard work securing the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games for Utah. As a professional skier who is passionate about the Wasatch Mountains' unparalleled beauty and powder, I can't wait for Utah to once again share the stoke with the world.

It is especially encouraging that Utah has committed to hosting a "climate-positive" Olympics, given the state is already experiencing the consequences of a hotter, dryer climate fueled by climate pollution. Even though the Games are a decade away, we must start now to ensure we have the snowpack, clean air, abundant water and healthy communities needed to host the Games and position Utah to continue to prosper.

Utah's Division of Air Quality under the Department of Environmental Quality is taking an important step this year, revising the state's air quality rules to implement methane standards for new oil and gas sites that will reduce emissions from oil and gas operations. Methane, the primary component of natural gas, is 80 times more powerful at warming the climate than carbon dioxide in the short term, meaning that cutting this pollution is the quickest, most cost-effective way to slow the rate of warming and avert even worse droughts, wildfires and extreme weather.

The benefits of reducing methane emissions extend far beyond the climate and can be a cornerstone of showcasing a cleaner, healthier and more economically vibrant Utah. Oil and gas operators emitted 16 billion cubic feet of natural gas in Utah in 2019. That's enough lost gas to meet the annual needs of more than a fifth of the state's residential gas customers. Venting, flaring and leaks from oil and gas operations also emit harmful pollutants, including ozone-forming volatile organic compounds and hazardous pollutants that have significant public health impacts, especially for children, seniors and those living in rural communities.

Foreign and domestic markets are demanding cleaner sources of energy, and Utah oil and gas producers must reduce emissions to stay in the game. In May, the European Union adopted a new law to impose methane intensity limits on oil and gas imports. To date, 155 companies have signed the Global Methane Pledge to reduce emissions 30% from 2020 levels by 2030.

The good news is that we have the technology and know-how to reduce methane waste and pollution and help keep the state's oil and gas industry competitive. The International Energy Agency estimates that 50% of oil and gas methane emissions can be avoided at no net cost "because the required outlays for abatement measures are less than the market value of the additional methane gas captured and sold or used."

This also means more jobs in our state. The methane mitigation industry already boasts 10 different facilities across Utah, including one manufacturing firm. Leading companies have already begun deploying these cost-effective technologies in the field.

I appreciate that the Division of Air Quality has already taken several promising steps toward a cleaner future with proposals such as the Beehive Emission Reduction Plan , which was recently awarded $74.7 million by the US Environmental Protection Agency to implement. This plan will focus on local solutions to reduce emissions, protect communities and advance clean energy.

But more needs to be done to prepare for the Olympics and a more sustainable future. We must support the Division of Air Quality's efforts to successfully adopt its new source methane rules this year, which will set the tone for a process to reduce methane emissions from oil and gas facilities in the state.

As long as there is political will, I believe we have the technological and financial solutions to solve the climate crisis. I look forward to working with the Cox administration and Utahns everywhere to protect this place we love and move forward on our shared vision for a great Olympic Games, a vibrant economy, clean air and water, and a healthy climate.