EPA regs would 'negatively impact' natural gas, industry contends

Efforts to lower greenhouse gas emissions should be good news to natural gas industry because the fuel emits less carbon dioxide than coal when burned.

But three trade groups that represent natural gas companies warned EPA Friday that its efforts to regulate carbon and other greenhouse gases would hurt the sector. The letter focuses on EPA’s so-called “tailoring rule,” which is intended to limit the entities covered by its greenhouse gas regulations to large emitters.

“It appears that the Proposed Tailoring rule woefully underestimates the number of facilities affected, and there is no indication that the permitting authorities are prepared to handle an increase in workload of this magnitude,” the groups said. The rule would "negatively impact the production, delivery, and use of natural gas to the detriment of our shared emission reduction goals," the letter states.

The Interstate Natural Gas Association of America, Independent Petroleum Association of America and the Natural Gas Supply Association signed the letter.