Greenhouse gas emissions by the United States

In February 2018, an explosion and blowout in a natural gas well in Belmont County, Ohio was detected by the Copernicus Sentinel-5P satellite's Tropospheric Monitoring Instrument. The well was owned by XTO Energy. About 30 homes were evacuated, and brine and produced water were discharged into streams flowing into the Ohio River.

The blowout lasted 20 days, releasing more than 50,000 tons of methane into the atmosphere. The blowout leaked more methane than is discharged by most European nations in a year from their oil and gas industries.[6][7][8][9]

As of 2011, 71% of petroleum consumed in the US was used for transportation.[15]

Programs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector:

• CAFE:

The Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) program requires automobile manufacturers to meet average fuel economy standards for the light-duty vehicles, large passenger vans and SUVs sold in the United States. Fuel economy standards vary according to the size of the vehicle.

• SmartWay
• Renewable Fuel Standard:

Under the Energy Policy Act of 2005, United States Environmental Protection Agency is responsible for promulgating regulations to ensure that gasoline sold in the United States contains a specific volume of renewable fuel.[15]

• FreedomCAR and Fuel Partnership and Vehicle Technologies Program:

The program[16] works jointly with DOE's hydrogen, fuel cell, and infrastructure R&D efforts and the efforts to develop improved technology for hybrid electric vehicle, which include the hybrid electric components (such as batteries and electric motors).

The U.S. government uses six "criteria pollutants" as indicators of air quality: ozone, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxides, particulate matter, and lead and does not include carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.

• Clean Cities[17]
• Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) Program.[18]
• Aircraft Fuel Efficiency:

Aviation yields GHG emissions that have the potential to influence global climate. In the United States, aviation makes up about 3% of the national GHG inventory and about 12% of transportation emissions. Currently, measuring and tracking fuel efficiency from aircraft operations provide the data for assessing the improvements in aircraft and engine technology, operational procedures, and the airspace transportation system that reduce aviation's contribution to CO 2 emissions. In the near term, new technologies to improve air traffic management will help reduce fuel burn and, thus, emissions. In the long term, new engines and aircraft will feature more efficient components and aircraft aerodynamics, enhanced engine cycles, and reduced weight, thereby improving fuel efficiency.

• Biomass and Biorefinery Systems Program[19]

• EPA Clean Energy Programs - Energy Star
• Commercial Building Integration[20] and Residential Building Integration (Build America).[21]
• Weatherization Assistance Program[22]
• State Energy Program[23]

As of 2010, buildings in the United States consume roughly 48% of the country's electricity and contribute a similar percentage of GHG.[24]

• Energy Star for industry
• Industrial Technologies Program (ITP)[25]

Sources of reduction in US electric power CO₂ emissions, 2005–2017

• Wind power in the United States[26]
• Solar power in the United States[27]
• Geothermal power in the United States[28]
• Biofuel in the United States:[29]
• Distributed generation[30]
• EPA Clean Energy Programs - Green Power Partnership[31]
• EPA Clean Energy Programs - Combined Heat and Power Partnership[32]
• Carbon Capture and Storage Research Program[33]
  • Advanced Energy Systems Program[34]
  • CO₂ Capture[35]
  • CO₂ Storage[36]

• Methane Programs [37]
• Environmental Stewardship —The objective of this initiative is to limit emissions of HFCs, PFCs, and SF₆ in three industrial applications: semiconductor production, electric power distribution, and magnesium production.
• HFC-23 —To reduce HFC-23 emissions from the manufacture of the ozone-depleting substance HCFC-22

• Environmental Quality Incentives Program
• Conservation Reserve Program
• Conservation Security Program

• Healthy Forests Initiative
• Forest Land Enhancement Program

• Landfill Methane Outreach Program

• WasteWise to encourage recycling and source reduction.

• Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Under 1605(b):

Authorized under Section 1605(b) of the Energy Policy Act of 1992, this voluntary program provides a means for utilities, industries, and other entities to establish a public record of their emissions and the results of voluntary measures to reduce, avoid, or sequester GHG emission

• State and Local Climate and Energy Program
• Federal Energy Management Program

California:

• Vehicle Air Pollution (SR 27)- States and implies that California Senate does not have to adhere to cutbacks in emissions standards further allowing stricter emissions standards than the federal government for the state of California.[38] Under this senate resolution the current administration or other federal powers will be opposed by California in any reduction or cutback of the Clean Air Act policies that are currently in place; allowing California to have higher emissions and air quality standards. This policy is because of the threat by the current administration's efforts to reverse environmental policies, in this case vehicle emissions standards.[39] This opposition of federal policy changes is allowed through California's Clean Air Act preemption waiver granted to the state by the EPA on July 8, 2009.[40]  California's waiver applies to vehicles made in 2009 and later.[40] The current standard being followed by the state is a goal of all vehicles reaching an average of 35 miles per gallon.[Environmental protection Agency Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 129 / 1][40] California saw a large decline in vehicle emissions from 2007 to 2013 as well as a rise in emissions following 2013 which can be attributed to different circumstances some of which include increased population, increased employment, increase in overall state GDP meaning more productivity in the state.[41]
• Vehicle Registration: Environmental Rebates (SB 745)- Establishes a rebate for any transportation improvement fee on a vehicle. This Senate Bill allots funds from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund to the Climate Policy Special rebate fund and which are then transferred to the department of motor vehicles to pay for newly registered vehicles or renewed vehicles. According to the policy the cost per vehicle is to be displayed in the registration paperwork.[38]

• Western Climate Initiative
• As of 2015, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative includes Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is a cap and trade program in which states "sell nearly all emission allowances through auctions and invest proceeds in energy efficiency, renewable energy and other consumer benefit programs".[42]
• Western Governors Association Clean and Diversified Energy Initiative
• Powering the Plains[43]
• Carbon Sequestration Regional Partnerships[44]
• U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement
• National Governors Association (NGA)´s Securing a Clean Energy Future.[45]

In 2007 NGA announced plans to expand statewide regulations on GHG emissions and clean energy initiatives. Governors Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota and Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas led a task force along with six other governors to promote renewable energy, conservation, and a reduction in GHG emissions through statewide policies. The US Department of Energy provided $610,000 in support for this initiative.

As chairman of NGA, Governor Tim Pawlenty (R-MN) said that on energy issues, "We have a federal government that doesn't seem to want to move as fast or as bold as many would like." With states creating their own emissions standards, Pawlenty said, there will be a push for the federal government to come up with a nationwide energy policy to address global warming. If enough states act to reduce GHG emissions, it would "become a de facto national policy".[46]

• New Hampshire's Building Energy Conservation Initiative
• New Jersey's Green Power Purchasing Program
• Atlanta's Virginia Highland - 1st Carbon Neutral Zone in the United States[47][48]

• Carbon Sequestration Regional Partnerships[44]
• Nuclear:
  • Generation IV Nuclear Energy Systems Initiative
  • Nuclear Hydrogen Initiative
  • Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative
  • Global Nuclear Energy Partnership
• Clean Automotive Technology
• Hydrogen Technology[49]
• and High-temperature superconductivity

• Paris Agreement