Last month, citizens, local officials and state regulators from New Mexico and Colorado gathered in Farmington, N.M. to learn more about the methane anomaly over the Four Corners that is being studied by scientists across the nation.
Methane is a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change and is far more potent than carbon dioxide. Scientists say the methane concentration is due to many factors, including topography and weather patterns. It’s also the result of coal mines, coalbed methane wells, and tens of thousands of natural gas wells. Cows, landfills, and wastewater treatment plants also produce methane.
The presentations from that April meeting are now available online at the website for the Four Corners Air Quality Working Group.
The presentations include:
- Methane Hot Spot in the Four Corners Region by Eric Kort, University of Michigan
- Current Aircraft Campaign by Colm Sweeny, NOAA
- Other Aerial Surveys by Christian Frankenberg, NASA
- Current Ground Campaign by Gabby Petron, NOAA
- Bottom-up Emissions Inventory plans for the greater San Juan Basin in New Mexico and Colorado by Tom Moore, WESTAR/WRAP
The next meeting of the Four Corners Air Quality Working Group will be held in Fall 2015.
