Anjali Taneja House District 18 | Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released a supplemental rule proposal aimed at establishing protections against methane and other pollutants from the oil and gas industry. This new proposal enhances a previous draft rule from last November, focusing on reducing emissions from this sector. The announcement comes ahead of President Biden's participation in the COP27 Climate Conference.
Methane is recognized as a potent greenhouse gas, significantly more powerful than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period. The U.S. oil and gas sector contributes approximately 16 million metric tons of methane emissions annually. Alongside methane, these sources also emit volatile organic compounds and carcinogens such as benzene and formaldehyde.
The federal rules will build upon existing regulations in New Mexico, which have already implemented measures to curb routine venting and flaring since May 2021. These state-level rules mandate frequent inspections for leaks at all wells without exemptions, particularly near homes and schools.
Kayley Shoup from Citizens Caring for the Future commented, “This updated rule comes as a welcome reprieve to those of us living in the most prolific oil field in the United States, the Permian Basin... We hope that these rules can be implemented and enforced swiftly.”
Wendy Atcitty of Naeva emphasized the importance of these changes for local communities: “Of the 35,000 New Mexicans living within 1,000 feet of an oil well site... The EPA’s revised rule to cut methane and other harmful pollutants will make a real difference in the health and safety of frontline communities.”
Lucas Herndon from ProgressNow New Mexico highlighted how aligning federal rules with strong state regulations brings clarity: “For energy states like New Mexico... having federal rules that closely align with our own strong state rules brings much-needed clarity.”
Emily Wolf from the National Parks Conservation Association noted that “EPA’s updated rule is a major step in the right direction,” addressing long-standing issues related to methane leaks affecting national parks and local communities.
Camilla Feibelman of Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter praised New Mexico's standards as examples for federal safeguards: “New Mexico’s oil and gas methane and smog standards have been a real example for the federal safeguards that came out this morning.”
Tannis Fox from Western Environmental Law Center remarked on the significance of public input: “The EPA’s supplemental rule represents a significant step forward in U.S. efforts to curb the worst effects of climate change...”
This move by EPA aims to ensure substantial reductions in methane waste across the country while supporting both environmental protection efforts and economic benefits.
