Study Finds Methane Leaks Negate Benefits of Natural Gas as a Fuel

"WASHINGTON — The sign is ubiquitous on city buses around the country: 'This bus runs on clean burning natural gas.' But a surprising new report, to be published Friday in the journal Science, concludes that switching buses and trucks from traditional diesel fuel to natural gas could actually harm the planet’s climate."

"Although burning natural gas as a transportation fuel produces 30 percent less planet-warming carbon dioxide emissions than burning diesel, the drilling and production of natural gas can lead to leaks of methane, a greenhouse gas 30 times more potent than carbon dioxide."

Coral Davenport reports for the New York Times February 13, 2014.