Nearly One Quarter of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions Come From Fossil Fuels Mined and Drilled on Public Lands

A new report shows that 23 percent of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions come from oil, gas, and coal extracted from federal lands and waters.  Under Executive Order 13514, all federal agencies were required to “report and reduce greenhouse gas pollution,” which included items such as energy use, fuel consumed by government fleets, and methane generated by landfill waste.

This analysis suggests that ultimate GHG emissions from fossil fuels extracted from federal lands and waters by private leaseholders in 2010 could be more than 20-times larger than the estimate reported.  Approximately 44% of coal, 36% of crude oil, and 18% of natural gas produced in this country are extracted from public lands, which combined create an astounding amount of carbon released into the atmosphere.

That fact is critically important as our government considers strategies to reduce emissions over the coming years.  Federally-managed lands and waters provide a unique opportunity in this process due to their extent and geographic diversity.

http://thinkprogress.org/romm/2012/02/26/432203/stunner-one-quarter-of-total-us-greenhouse-gas-emissions-come-from-fossil-fuels-mined-and-drilled-on-public-lands/?mobile=nc