Washington, D.C. — U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Mike Leavitt announced today that the United States will join Australia, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the United Kingdom and Ukraine in efforts to develop and promote cooperation on the recovery and use of methane. According to an EPA press release, the goal of the partnership, known as the Methane to Markets Partnership, will be "to deliver significant energy, safety and environmental benefits through the recovery and use of methane, while reducing global greenhouse gas emissions."

"The Bush Administration welcomes this global partnership, a partnership that has the double benefit of capturing the second most abundant greenhouse gas and turning it to productive use as a clean-burning fuel," said Leavitt in a statement.