Rep. Eliseo Alcon House District 6 | Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter
Environmentalists are welcoming a new agreement between the United States and Canada aimed at reducing methane emissions. The accord, signed by President Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, is designed to help both nations meet their commitments under the 2015 Paris climate change agreement.
Camilla Feibelman, executive director of the Rio Grande Chapter of the Sierra Club, highlighted the significance of this pact for New Mexico. "The Obama administration has agreed to add the final piece of the puzzle to controlling methane pollution," she said. This involves introducing a rule to control methane emissions from existing sources.
The Bureau of Land Management had previously set limits on methane emissions from new oil and gas rigs on public lands. The recent regulations will now also cover existing wells. According to Feibelman, scientists predict that by 2018, 90 percent of methane pollution will originate from sources established five years prior.
Feibelman emphasized the economic impact on New Mexico due to methane release, noting lost revenue and resources. She stressed the urgency of controlling methane as it is "86 times more potent of a global-warming gas than CO2 over a 20-year period."
Moreover, Feibelman pointed out that these regulations could generate employment in New Mexico, where companies already exist that specialize in developing and installing technology for controlling methane emissions.
Details about the agreement can be found online at whitehouse.gov.
