The idea that methane emissions at coal mines and landfills across Virginia could be captured and converted to electricity is a controversial approach in the environmental community.
Quentin Scott at the Chesapeake Climate Action Network says it's not a great idea.
"To capture it, you then have to transport it somewhere for processing, which is going to take pipelines," Scott explains. "And we need to really avoid building out additional pipelines that entrench us into fossil-fuel infrastructure."
He says he supports the climate pollution reduction grant program. But, he says, producing energy from methane is probably not the best way to combat climate change.
Peter Anderson at Appalachian Voices agrees.
"For us, the answer of using this in electricity production when our power sector has to be carbon free is not a good answer," Anderson says. "But we're open to some of the other things like if there's a manufacturing process that sequesters the methane, let's have a discussion about that."
The Environmental Protection Agency has selected the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality to receive a $100 million Climate Pollution Reduction grant to capture and convert methane emissions at coal mines and landfills in Virginia.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
