EDF Heads to Court to Defend EPA Action to Identify Climate Pollution, Including Methane from Landfills

(Washington, D.C. – July 24, 2024) Environmental Defense Fund plans to go to court in support of EPA’s actions to strengthen the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program – a vital source of public information about dangerous climate pollution from significant sources, including methane pollution from landfills.

EPA’s improvements to its Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program are facing a legal challenge from the National Waste and Recycling Association. EDF filed a motion to intervene with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit today to defend EPA’s reporting standards against that challenge.  

“Methane pollution from landfills is a significant contributor to climate change, which is causing the extreme heat and more powerful storms that are putting all people at risk,” said EDF attorney Edwin LaMair. “Communities have a right to accurate pollution data that can be used to further strengthen the foundation for commonsense solutions – solutions that are urgently needed to cut landfill methane pollution.”

EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program provides the public with information about climate pollution from large emission sources of that pollution. In April of this year EPA finalized updates to the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program that improve the quality and accuracy of its data, including for municipal landfills. 

When organic waste ends up in landfills it produces methane as it decomposes. In the U.S., landfills are the third largest source of methane pollution, which is a potent near-term driver of climate change. Municipal landfills emit as much climate pollution as 66 million gas-powered cars driving for a year. Landfills also emit large amounts of cancer-causing pollution such as benzene, and other health-harming pollutants. 

Data gathered under the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program provides communities and policymakers with important information to support protective action to reduce climate pollution. For instance, earlier this week, the administration announced a number of new actions to reduce methane and other super pollutants, including EPA’s commitment to issue revised pollution standards for new and existing landfills. The same Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program data is also made publicly available and is used by a wide variety of state and local governments, businesses, communities, and organizations like EDF.

The National Waste and Recycling Association challenged EPA’s action. EDF filed its motion today to join the case in defense of EPA’s efforts to provide more accurate and transparent information on pollution from landfills to the public.  

EDF is also taking action, alongside these important updates, to provide additional, vital information on methane pollution. For instance, EDF scientists have published numerous scientific papers on methane emissions, and on March 4 of this year EDF launched MethaneSAT – a new satellite that will identify and measure methane emissions worldwide – including from landfills – from space.