‘The Permian Climate Bomb’ 

/in , , , /by

Oil Change International, Earthworks, and Center for International Environmental Law are launching the first in a series of installments of a major online report today.

The Permian Climate Bomb is a creative storytelling project developed in collaboration with artists, illustrating the environmental injustice and climate damages caused by barely-regulated oil and gas production in the United States, from New Mexico to the Gulf Coast.  The project aims to break down this multifaceted issue, with the goal of bringing it to the forefront of the fight against the climate crisis.

Part One of this series is launching today with the multimedia Permian Climate Bomb website, and reveals the Permian Basin has grown more than 500% in the past decade — and is still expected to grow aggressively in the coming decade, posing a major risk to President Biden’s and the world’s climate agenda.

The first section of the report is accessible at PermianClimateBomb.org in both English and Spanish, and Parts Two through Six of the series will be released in coming weeks. Please let me know if you have any questions, and thanks in advance for sharing!

 

Testimony on State Methane Rules: Anita Amstutz

/in , , , /by

Members and supporters of New Mexico Interfaith Power & Light have prepared testimony for hearings held by the Environmental Improvement Board. The hearings, held the week of Sept. 20-24, are in support of the The New Mexico Environment Department’s (NMED) strong proposal to cut ozone-forming volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and methane released by the oil and gas industry. This testimony comes from Anita Amstutuz, a memberof the NM-IPL Advisory Board.

I am Rev. Anita Amstutz, speaking from the Mennonite Church tradition, Mountain States Region. I support strong methane rules. 

New Mexico has a methane problem. Oil and gas operations release more than 1.1 million tons of methane each year (That has the same short-term climate impacts as 22 coal-fired power plants or 28 million automobiles.)

 Methane is a powerful climate change pollutant responsible for 25% of the warming we’re experiencing today. Operations release more than 337,500 tons of smog-forming volatile organic compounds as well as toxic air pollutants that affect health, especially most vulnerable children and elderly. In the Land of Enchantment, this is not acceptable. Have we become a sacrifice zone?

Methane pollution is a top tier environmental issue in New Mexico. In 2021, the Colorado College’s bipartisan Conservation in the West survey found that 89% of voters support requirements for companies to update equipment and technologies to address methane and air pollution. 

The time is now. As global temperatures soar and violent, catastrophic fires, storms and other natural disasters increase, we must do our part to curb what is destroying our land, soil, air. 

Please address the following: 

  • Protect those living closest to development by requiring more frequent inspections to find and fix leaks.
  • Ensure strong requirements for operators to control pollution during the completion of an oil or gas well or when they redevelop an existing well.
  • Strengthen requirements to cut pollution from pneumatic controllers that are used in oil and gas production. NMED should require companies to inspect pneumatics for leaks and accelerate the timeline to retrofit equipment with zero-bleed or zero-emission pneumatic controllers.

As a long time beekeeper, I am also aware of the devastating climate changes on the insect world and all wildlife. Please do the right thing now. Future generations are depending on your prudence and wisdom. 

Sincerely,

—

Anita Amstutz

Albuquerque, NM

Testimony on State Methane Rules: Ruth Striegel

/in , , , /by

Members and supporters of New Mexico Interfaith Power & Light have prepared testimony for hearings held by the Environmental Improvement Board. The hearings, held the week of Sept. 20-24, are in support of the The New Mexico Environment Department’s (NMED) strong proposal to cut ozone-forming volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and methane released by the oil and gas industry. This testimony comes from Ruth Striegel, co-chair of the NM-IPL board of directors and chair of the advocacy committee.

To the members of the Environmental Improvement Board,

My name is Ruth Striegel. I live in Albuquerque, where I’m a member of First Congregational United Church of Christ, and I serve as a board member of New Mexico Interfaith Power and Light. I appreciate this opportunity to comment on methane regulations.

Two years ago, I had the opportunity to visit oil fields around Carlsbad. I met many citizens there who were suffering from asthma, bronchial conditions, rashes and odd cancers that citizens felt could be related to methane and associated gases that they were breathing daily. I was able to see gas escaping from several oil facilities through a FLIR camera, which makes gas emissions visible. I’m asking you to require frequent inspections to find and a leaks to protect the people living near oil and gas facilities. I’m asking you to create strong requirements for operators to control escaping gases during the completion of a well, or redevelopment of an existing well. I am asking your support of strong methane rules to protect health and God’s creation.

People living in oil and gas producing regions should not be made to suffer simply because they live near these wells. More often than not, the people impacted are children, the elderly, our native communities, and those living in rural communities. I’m asking you to enact strong methane regulations to help address health, environmental justice and climate justice concerns that affect people’s lives and the future.  Almost half the native American residents of San Juan County live within a half-mile of a wellsite. A half mile! Think of what it would mean to them to get up in the morning and breathe clean air!

Colorado and other states have enacted regulations curbing methane waste while still allowing for growth in the industry. Methane regulation actually creates jobs in mitigation and manufacturing. Cleaning up our air will result in healthier children, adults, and elders, making our communities stronger and more resilient. The idea that strong regulation will reduce our tax income and take away jobs simply isn’t true. That short-sighted narrative serves only to increase our societal imbalance and make our planet and our communities sicker and less able to cope with a climate, health and economically changing world.

In my faith tradition, we are asked to repent when we’re not living in a life-giving way. The word “repent” means to turn around, change course, and go in a new and better direction. In this time of climate crisis, we are all faced with a moral reckoning, but also the opportunity to head in a new direction, one that seeks to protect without fail the health and wellbeing of our communities. Please, help New Mexico find that new direction by enacting strong methane regulations that protect us all.

Thank you.