Hot, toxic, expensive—we gotta stop these methane leaks.
Top Takeaways:
Methane is a climate disaster hiding in plain sight. Leaks from natural gas pipelines release methane—an invisible, super-potent greenhouse gas with 80x warming potential—at volumes 3.5 - 8x greater than previous EPA estimates.
It’s probably happening in your neighborhood. Across the U.S., more than 600,000 active leaks spew methane directly into homes, businesses, and neighborhood streets. These leaks are toxic, often explosive, and the cost of wasted gas is passed to consumers via higher utility bills.
Utility companies are making the problem worse. Instead of quickly patching leaks, they’re 1) ignoring them or 2) replacing entire pipelines, locking in more fossil fuel use and passing the costs along to customers.
Your state regulators can stop this. Every state has a Public Utility Commission (PUC) that oversees utilities. They have the power to require utilities to fix leaks without unnecessarily raising our rates.
We need to advocate. Each of us should contact our state’s PUC and urge them to act. Climate Changemakers’ Stop Methane Leaks advocacy campaign starts March 10th! Attend the kickoff event. New advocacy resources also drop on 3/10—accomplish them on your own (online anytime) or drop into any Hour of Action (in-person and virtual) to advocate among the community.
The problem: methane leaks are everywhere
Imagine a hole in your wallet that leaks money every month. Now imagine that leak is toxic, flammable, and fueling the climate crisis. That’s what’s happening with methane leaks in the U.S. natural gas system.
Utilities and pipeline companies leak, vent, and waste vast amounts of methane—a greenhouse gas 80x more potent than CO₂. These leaks are far more frequent and severe than official estimates, making natural gas worse for the climate than coal.
No matter where you live, odds are there’s a methane leak near you. There are over 2 million miles of natural gas pipelines that run under our neighborhood streets and connect directly to our homes and businesses. Take a look at this advocacy effort in Virginia – led by friends of Climate Changemakers!
And here’s the kicker: consumers are paying for it. Gas companies pass the cost of “lost methane” onto customers, while profiting from building new pipelines instead of repairing the leaks or retiring the old pipes altogether.
The solution: urge your state PUC to act
The problem is bad, but we can do something about it. Every state has a team of regulators equipped to address this urgent issue, and regulating methane pollution also has widespread bipartisan support.
Not all heroes wear capes. Enter: your Public Utility Commission (PUC) (sometimes called a Public Service Commission or Corporation Commission). These regulators approve gas infrastructure projects and set the rules for fixing leaks.
💡 We need PUCs to require utilities to detect and repair leaks—instead of replacing pipelines to boost profits. These regulators were created to protect the public from unnecessary costs and safety risks – and fugitive methane causes both. So, let’s hold them accountable.
Coming soon - on March 10th! - advocates across the U.S. will start focusing on one important Action Plan: Stop Methane Leaks.
RSVP to the kickoff event here or add any Hour of Action to your calendar. These aren’t webinars or trainings—expect to take action, no prep or experience needed. Add one to your calendar and drop in!
PUCs hear from utility lobbyists all the time—now they need to hear from us.
