NETL is well-positioned between industry and regulators to champion balanced, cost-effective approaches to environmental protection. NETL develops new environmental technologies, pursues improvements to the regulatory process, and supplies the sound science needed for energy policy decisions that ensure environmental protection, efficient recovery and adequate, secure energy supplies.

The benefits for the U.S. public are a more competitive, economically viable U.S. energy industry that can supply an adequate amount of energy while simultaneously reducing environmental risks associated with oil and natural gas production and processing. Lower costs and improved environmental protection technologies will result in more of the Nation’s oil and natural gas being produced and lead to a better quality of life for Americans.

NETL environmental research is currently focused on produced water, Federal lands access, and regulatory streamlining. Produced-water research, including water from coalbed natural gas wells, is aimed at finding low-cost treatment technologies that will allow these waters to be put to beneficial use. NETL’s Federal lands access research seeks to provide the environmental science and technology that will allow oil and gas development while protecting the land for other uses. Regulatory streamlining activities center on providing sound environmental science and risk analysis to inform the regulatory process.

More-detailed information about NETL’s Environmental Solutions program is contained in a special program fact sheet - [PDF-116KB].

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