NMIPL IN THE NEWS
Carlsbad Current Argus. Sep. 3, 2020 New Mexico finalizes oil and gas wastewater regulations, lawmakers hear testimony (Rev. Nick King Quoted)
Las Cruces Sun-News, Aug. 19, 2020, Report on solving climate crisis brings hope (Co-authored by Michael Sells, Clara Sims and Edith Yanez)
Santa Fe New Mexican, Aug. 15, 2020 Vote your values this November (Commentary by Larry Rasmussen and Tabitha Arnold)
Methane Comments: Arcelia Isais-Gastelum
/in Earth & Faith, Faithful Citizenship, Featured Articles, NEWS, Permian Basin /by admin(The EPA is hosting three virtual public hearings on January 10-12. These hearings are an important opportunity for communities across the country to make their voices heard, and demand that EPA adopts strong, comprehensive methane safeguards to protect our health and our planet. We share ccomments from New Mexico and El Paso residents).
Throughout my relatively short educational and professional career, I have dedicated my life toward moving us toward a sustainable future. In these ten years, I have operated under the faith and determination that as the technology gets better and the science becomes clearer, we would collectively move toward this path naturally. What instead I’ve seen over and over again is a resistance towards doing even the bare minimum.
New Mexico has some of the worst methane pollution in the country. In addition to causing a quarter of the global warming we are experiencing, methane operations also release compounds into our air that cause respiratory diseases and increase risks of cancer.
Stopping pollution is a crucial first step we must take for protecting our communities. From a moral, physical, and spiritual standpoint, we can no longer afford to keep sacrificing the health of our people for short term economic gain.
This country has repeatedly empowered industries who routinely put our children at risk. It’s become so normalized and expected, there’s now an entire generation of kids who, like me, are growing up and realizing they are beholden to a system that agreed to put their future at stake so previous generations could turn a profit.
It is for these reasons that I strongly support doing the bare minimum of strengthening our federal methane regulations. I say this is the bare minimum because we are not asking to shut down all operations nor to ban all toxic emissions, but simply to regularly inspect these operations and lower the emissions to safer levels.
Thank you again for your time.
Methane Comments: Marlene Perrotte
/in Earth & Faith, Faithful Citizenship, Featured Articles, NEWS, Permian Basin /by admin(The EPA is hosting three virtual public hearings on January 10-12. These hearings are an important opportunity for communities across the country to make their voices heard, and demand that EPA adopts strong, comprehensive methane safeguards to protect our health and our planet. We share ccomments from New Mexico and El Paso residents).
I would like to thank the EPA and each of you for your work on the methane supplemental rule proposal. Strong federal methane safeguards contribute to reducing climate and air pollution from the oil and gas industry, protect the health and wellbeing of communities across this country, and put hundreds of thousands of Americans to work building a more efficient and secure energy system.
Requiring companies to plug leaks and set reasonable limits on venting and flaring of natural gas is essential. EPA’s current proposal would allow smaller wells with leak-prone equipment to forgo regular monitoring, despite the fact that the science is clear about the outsized levels of pollution from these wells. This is a big problem since operators wouldn’t be required to factor in major pollution events called super-emitters or equipment failures
A study published in the Journal Nature Communications reveals that low-producing oil and gas wells are responsible for approximately half of the methane emitted from all well sites in the United ‘states while accounting for only 6 of the nation’s oil and gas production. Nearly 8 million people across the country live within half a mile of these sites. Taking action in addressing these emissions must be an essential part of a comprehensive effort to modernize U.S. Policy and more energy development in the 21st century.
Thank you for engaging in this ethical endeavor. Thank you for giving us hope as you carry out the EPA’s mission…public servants protecting the Common Wealth for the Common Good, Care of our ‘Common Home.
Methane Comments: Joan Brown
/in Earth & Faith, Featured Articles, NEWS, Permian Basin /by admin(The EPA is hosting three virtual public hearings on January 10-12. These hearings are an important opportunity for communities across the country to make their voices heard, and demand that EPA adopts strong, comprehensive methane safeguards to protect our health and our planet. We share ccomments from New Mexico and El Paso residents).
The people of faith in New Mexico have worked with the EPA on creating strong methane rules since the beginning of this process. All of our religious traditions believe it is a spiritual, ethical and moral duty to love and care for our neighbor and creation. Pope Francis in Laudato Si: On Care of Our Common Home said this work is not optional.
I have been traveling to and working with the people in Southeastern New Mexico, in the Permian Basin for ten years. I experience, first hand, growing concerns of health, quality of life, environmental pollution and deterioration of air quality. In New Mexico we are grateful for strong methane rules that have been adopted and implemented and are now beginning to make a difference, but air knows no boundaries and Texas does not have such strong methane rules.
One of our programs is an immersion retreat experience for people of faith and conscience to visit the Permian, listen to the stories of people, experience the effects of oil and gas production, pray for healing and guidance in the oil and gas fields and commit to action for change. I have heard many stories of families living close to oil and gas who suffer from terrible health conditions. On a recent trip we met with mothers and children living in Jal right next to Texas. These hardworking Spanish immigrant families shared their dilemma of the need to work, yet living in fear for their health and that of their children and those in the womb. In an educational session, they listened to ways they might protect their health and were given air purifiers through the Permian grassroots group Citizens Caring for the Future with whom we work. We promise to work with these families. But, we need the EPA. Strong methane rules that address flaring in Texas would help these families. We also need to address venting and flaring from smaller wells and facilities, which account for a large amount of the pollution.
New Mexicans suffered this past summer from devastating fires, and drought, which are now common. People of faith are on the frontlines working with immigrants flooding our border. Increasingly we hear stories that confirm growing climate refugees who face food insecurity, and displacement from devastating weather patterns. We must act now to stop the worst harm. It is urgent that we implement, strengthen, and finalize these rules and make sure there is industry oversight once they are in place.
Our faith communities also work with children, youth and young adults who suffer growing mental health concerns of grief, depression and hopelessness. The concerns of one of our young adult leaders always rigns in my ears. She said, “I do not know if I will have the strength to face all of the suffering that will result from climate change in my lifetime.”
Interfaith Power and Light in New Mexico and El Paso is working hard for the Common Good. We count on the EPA to work in good faith with us. We need to act quickly for strong rules. This ethical and moral work is not optional, it is the demand of loving service.
Thank you and peace and good.