Sen. Pete Campos Senate District 8 | Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter
The Senate has passed a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution with a 52-47 vote, which may lead to confusion for operators. The CRA repeals only the implementation part of the Environmental Protection Agency’s methane polluter fee, also known as the Waste Emissions Charge, while other sections remain legally required. This program is part of the Methane Emission Reduction Program (MERP), established under former President Biden through the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.
Following a House vote of 220-206, including support from some Democrats, the resolution now awaits President Trump's signature. This development introduces uncertainty into efforts by environmental advocates and communities in New Mexico who have worked to address methane emissions that contribute to poor air quality and affect public health. The methane polluter fee targets oil and gas companies exceeding emission thresholds aligned with industry-set targets. It aims to encourage fixing leaks, adopting zero-emission technology, reducing routine flaring, and monitoring facilities more closely. The EPA had estimated that a fully implemented Waste Emissions Charge could cut over a million metric tons of methane by 2035.
Despite several Democrats siding with Republicans on this issue, New Mexico's entire delegation opposed the resolution. Advocates expressed gratitude towards them for prioritizing community interests over industry benefits.
“Thank you to the Congressional New Mexico delegation for voting against the CRA. The waste emission charge is a common sense policy; responsible extractors will never incur a fee as only those with excess emissions are charged," said Camilla Feibelman from Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter. "Industry extracts publicly held resources off lands that belong to all of us for private profit while emitting waste alongside pollutants that harm our communities. While disappointed on the final vote, we thank our NM delegation in Congress for voting to protect our climate and our communities by wanting to keep the charge intact.”
