Testimony on State Methane Rules: Dr. Kathleen Mezoff

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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.

Dear Members of the Environmental Improvement Board,

I am Dr. Kathy Mezoff, a retired pediatrician who practiced in Gallup at
RMCH for 34 years. You would be right to suspect that, as a pediatrician, I have
a very special place in my heart for babies and children. New Mexico is home to
some of the worst methane one ozone precursor pollution In the country; we
know that babies and children, with their small lungs and developing brains, are
at great risk from the pollutants and toxins from oil and gas operations. It is
therefore imperative from a public heath perspective that we stop the one million
tons of climate-warming methane and the hundreds of thousands of tons of
volatile organic compounds that endanger the health especially of those in the
rural areas of southeast and northwest New Mexico — cancers, asthma, and
heart disease —to name a few. Leaks due to equipment malfunction and lack of
maintenance account for over half of the oil and gas industry’s methane
emissions in the state.


In addition to the health and quality of life concerns in Eddy, Lea, and San
Juan counties, methane pollution accelerates climate change, which will
especially affect the futures of our children as it worsens and accelerates. Our
weather is already causing frequent catastrophes across the world.
Rules to curb methane waste and pollution through updated equipment
and technology can actually create jobs in the methane mitigation industry —as
well as saving our state millions of dollars.


Please — let’s get this done — for the sake of our children, society, and
our world!


Dr. Kathleen Mezoff – Gallup, New Mexico

Testimony on State Methane Rules: Patricia Sheely

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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.

Members of the Environmental Improvement Board,

I am Patricia Sheely and I am a member of the United Methodist Church faith community. I live in Gallup, NM.

My two main concerns about methane pollution are the health effects and its contribution to climate change. I support strong methane rules and I want to thank you for holding these meetings and allowing me to speak.

As a retired dietitian, I am very concerned about the effect of pollution on the health and development of our infants and children. We are only now becoming aware of the significance the environment and its accompanying stress plays on the developing fetus and the mother’s ability to have a successful pregnancy. Pollutants such as methane and VOCs have an adverse effect on our older residents with heart and respiratory conditions as well. I grew up with one oil well on a 125 acre farm. I can’t imagine living in the midst of a whole field of wells. I worry about the health of our residents. I feel that we have a responsibility to take care of everyone.

I find it embarrassing that New Mexico has a methane cloud over the four corners area that can be seen from space. The climate crisis is here. It is affecting our state with hotter temperatures, decreasing our snowpack and monsoons, and the loss of our pinon pines and juniper forest. Our landscape is probably our greatest resource for the future.

New Mexico can do our part by requiring frequent inspections of wells to find and fix leaks. Leaks due to equipment malfunction and lack of maintenance account for 70% of our emissions. We have the technology to do this. This could even be a source of employment. The methane captured is a valuable resource that should not be wasted.

Please take action to strengthen the rules.   Thank you.

Testimony on State Methane Rules: Rev. Lynne Hinton

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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.

I am Rev. Lynne Hinton and I am the Conference Director of the NM Conference of Churches and I live in Albuquerque.  I am here today because like so many other people of faith, I am concerned about methane pollution in our state. I also come because of the scripture reading known as our lectionary on record for this Sunday. In the gospel reading, Jesus told his followers it would be better for a millstone to be hung around the neck of someone and thrown into the sea than to carry out harm against a child.

Today I come speaking for our children, recognizing that I am a part of a generation causing them harm and remembering that we did not inherit this planet from our ancestors but rather we are borrowing it from our children.

We know that New Mexico has a horrible record regarding methane pollution. There are leaks from oil and gas operators that are releasing tons of methane and we also know that the operators are not being held accountable for the pollution being created. 

I come asking that you now also speak for the children and create and enforce strong methane rules, that we find ways to protect our children by requiring more frequent inspections to find and repair any leaks, that we develop strong requirements for operators to control their pollution and that we find ways to cut all methane pollution from the oil and gas industry in our state.

When the history books bear our stories, note our positions and our values, I hope this board and the people of faith across the state of New Mexico will be found to be on the side of taking care of our earth and our children.

Thank you for allowing me to speak and for your concerns for our beautiful planet for present days and for generations to come.