Today New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced his intent to sue the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for failing to address methane emissions from the oil and natural gas industry, which includes the controversial practice of hydraulic fracturing or “fracking.” Schneiderman is leading a coalition of seven states (Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Vermont) under the charge that the agency violated the Clean Air Act when it ignored methane on a recent update to air pollution standards.

Earlier this year Earthjustice and a team of clean air advocates sent similar letters to EPA calling on the agency to address methane emissions from the oil and gas sector.

The following statement is from Earthjustice president Trip Van Noppen:

“The oil and gas industry has had free rein to not only poison our water, but to pump dangerous cancer-causing chemicals into the air that have a severe impact on global warming. We applaud Attorney General Schneiderman and the coalition of seven states for taking this legal action to address the threat of methane. Americans living near oil and gas fields need added protection from cancer and other unacceptable health threats.”