Every year, oil and gas companies waste thousands of billions of cubic feet of natural gas in the United States. On federal lands alone, 300 billion cubic feet of natural gas have been released into the atmosphere over the last decade. Methane is the largest component of unprocessed natural gas and a greenhouse gas that is 80 times more potent than CO₂ for the first 20 years it’s in the atmosphere. When companies drill for oil and natural gas, methane is released through purposeful venting (when natural gas is released directly into the atmosphere) and flaring (when natural gas is burned), and accidental leakage. These practices waste valuable resources, hurting taxpayers, consumers, and the climate.

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