California Moves Toward Dairy Methane Regulation

California is finally signaling that voluntary programs may not be enough to cut methane from dairies and other livestock operations. According to Blanca Begert, the California Air Resources Board has opened a public request for information on how the state could track and reduce dairy methane as it works to meet Senate Bill 1383.

That law, passed in 2016, requires California to cut methane emissions 40 percent below 2013 levels by 2030, and the dairy and livestock sector produces more than half of the state’s methane. Much of the state’s progress so far has leaned on grants and incentives, especially for anaerobic digesters that cover manure lagoons and capture gas for electricity or renewable natural gas.

But critics say this strategy comes with tradeoffs for rural communities and local air and water quality, since digesters do not address pollutants like ammonia and nutrient runoff, and they can create pressure to expand herds. That matters for animals and for people living near large operations, because it is not just climate math, it is daily life.

CARB’s questions also put more attention on alternatives that reduce methane formation in the first place, like separating solids from liquids, keeping manure drier, or shifting toward pasture based management where feasible. Feed additives are also on the table, with some products already able to lower emissions from enteric fermentation by around 10 to 20 percent.

Comments are due March 30, and the timeline for a full rule is still uncertain, but the direction is clear: California is exploring a first time regulation pathway, not just funding.

If you care about public health and a safer environment on this planet, Support policies that cut Pollution at the source and make plant based choices whenever you can.

Sign These Petitions! 

Please sign our latest and most urgent petitions to help the planet. Every signature counts!

• Petition: Ban Animal Abusers After Dogs Left To Freeze
• Petition: Justice For Abused Kitten Suki
• Petition: Wind And Solar Overtake Fossil Fuels In Europe

Related Content:

• Acting Fast on Methane Could Save the Planet from Climate Collapse
• Texas Oil Wells Are Pumping Out More Methane Than Regulators Admit
• Methane Tracking Satellite Fails After Just One Year in Space
• 10 Things to Know About Diindolylmethane (DIM) and Its Impact on Estrogen