A Petition Calling for Strong Methane Rules in Oil and Gas

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Interfaith Power & Light

New Mexico & El Paso Region

PO Box 27162,  Albuquerque, New Mexico  87125   

info@nm-ipl.org   www.nm-ipl.org

Dear President Biden,

We are running out of time to act on climate and protect public health. Thankfully, cutting methane pollution from oil and gas operations is one of the fastest and most cost-effective ways we can slow the rate of climate change now, and keep our air clean and safe to breathe.

We were encouraged to learn that EPA has submitted a rule to the Office of Management and Budget to address methane and other harmful air pollution from new and existing oil and gas operations. We need your administration to publish the draft rule as soon as possible to protect our communities and climate.

Families are counting on a strong and comprehensive methane rule to address the gaps in last year’s proposed rule, including:

  • Requiring regular inspections at high-polluting small wells with leak-prone equipment and eliminating pollution from routine flaring, both of which are outsized sources of methane emissions;
  • Committing to community monitoring programs and working to incorporate data generated by community groups; and
  • Including a requirement to use equipment that does not emit pollution at well sites such as pneumatics.

Please ensure that strong methane rules are proposed as soon as possible to protect public health and climate, there is no time to waste.

Name   (please print clearly)                         e-mail                                                         City/town

To receive a hard copy of the petition, send a note to carlos@nm-ipl.org

Completed petitions will go to Sister Joan Brown, osf, joan@nm-ipl.org

PO Box 27162
Albuquerque, NM 87125-7162
USA

Amplifying the Message about Leaky Wells on the Radio

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Public News Service recently interviewed Kayley Shoup, organizer for Citizens Caring for the Future (an affiliate of NMEP-IPL), about the push by the The Independent Petroleum Association of New Mexico to exclude smaller-producing wells removed from new rules for oil and gas production in counties that are pushing the federal ozone threshold.

Here is a text of the report

“Despite participating in the extensive public process and originally supporting the new rules, the Independent Petroleum Association is now claiming its members should not have to comply and says the rules could cause hundreds, if not thousands, of wells to cease operations prematurely.”

And Kayley’s quote:

“Every other industry is regulated,” she said. “The least they can do is inspect these wells that are leak-prone and causing methane emissions that are warming the planet and also harming the health of communities.”

Read and Listen to Full Report

 

Ann T. McCartney: Oil and gas industry needs to clean up mess

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In good conscience, as oil and gas operators are realizing record profits, they should step up to clean up after themselves and act as better neighbors to New Mexico communities. People of faith and conscience are working now for strong federal rules for pollution that follow New Mexico’s lead.

Ann McCartney, co-chair of the board of New Mexico El Paso Interfaith Power & Light,  had a letter to the editor published  in the Valencia County News-Bulletin on Thursday, September 8. The same letter was published in the Albuquerque Journal on Monday, September 12. Here is an excerpt followed by a link to the full letter in the Valencia County newspaper.

I am very concerned about the health of communities in New Mexico suffering from ill effects of oil and gas.

As a board member of Interfaith Power and Light, our faith communities and people of faith and conscience worked hard on the oil and gas air pollution rules finalized earlier this year by the Environmental Improvement Board.

We offered many comments and spoke in public hearings for rules to address spills, leaks, venting and flaring, which take a toll on all New Mexicans’ health and access to clean air and water. The rules passed by EIB were an important step and safeguard for New Mexicans.

The news that the Independent Petroleum Association of New Mexico (IPANM) intends to sue the state to reverse key provisions of the rules was very disheartening after such a long public process. Industry was part of the long rule-making process. As an ordinary person, I do not understand why IPANM would want to harm the health of our communities — except out of greed.

Read Full Letter