New Mexicans Testify at EPA Hearing: Joan Brown, OSF

/in , , , /by

EPA Methane Pollution rules hearing statement, November 30, 2021

Joan Brown, Franciscan Sister and Executive Director, NM & El Paso Region  Interfaith Power & Light

My name is Joan Brown, I am a Franciscan Sister and Executive Director of New Mexico and El Paso Region Interfaith Power and Light living in Albuquerque.  Thank  you for this hearing and for putting forth rules that will address existing and new oil and gas facilities regarding methane.

I work with faith leaders and people of faith and conscience all over the state and we have been working to get strong methane rules for nearly 10 years. During this time we have worked in solidarity with frontline communities, where live many racially diverse people on the economic margins and they are disproportionatly suffering from health problems and the effects of climate change.

I have gone into the field with faith leaders where we wear air masks because the air is so bad. We have visited homes, including African American families in the Permian Basin who have foul air coming into their homes from nearby wells where there are violations we have seen with infrared cameras.

We need strong rules and we need them now. In 2015 at the UN Climate meeting Pope Francis said we were on a climate suicidal path.  We are still on that path, only it has gotten worse.  St. Francis of Assisi centuries ago wrote to civic leaders to care for the common good. All in leadership and regulatory agencies are still delegated to an ethical and moral standard to care for the common good and our Sacred Creation and Common Home.

We need these improvements:

  • Stronger regulations for unlit flares. We have experienced so many flares first hand.
  • More frequent inspections and oversight, this is something the frontline communities keep asking for
  • A ban on routine flaring and vigilance to keep out potential loopholes
  • Smaller facilities must be help accountable there is a cumulative effect to this pollution that does not know boundaries.

These elements would assist the health of frontline communities; help us address climate change; protect species and future generations.

Finally, I have been in the hospital the last week with my sister who is going on hospice. This has given me time to think about our Sacred Planet and community of life who are being put on hospice. People of faith and faith leaders in NM and the El Paso region are now wondering why they still need to show up and speak at hearings, try to work on legislation that does not seem to address the greatest ethical and moral challenge of our day, climate justice.  While they are still showing up they now state that they need to be hospice workers and chaplains for our dying planet, the grieving young people, the depressed many, and the species being extincted yearly.  Our work is to be of hope and life and yet now we are moving into hospice mode.

The book of Ecclesiastes says there is a time for every purpose under heaven. We have been in the time to take action for some time now.  We need strong rules and more.  Thank you for your work and peace this day.