Skip to main content

Public hearing: your chance to weigh in on super pollutant safeguards

By February 9, 2016Climate & Energy, Methane

It’s a common practice for oil and gas operations to intentionally release tons (literally!) of methane into the air – to the tune of $42.7 million in New Mexico since 2009.

Methane is a super pollutant that is an even more dangerous greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide in terms of both climate change and quality of the air we breathe.

That’s $42.7 million New Mexican taxpayers have lost out on – money our counties and communities need for schools, roads and more.

Many of New Mexico’s leaders have made it clear that they support strong rules to reduce methane waste and protect our health – and now it’s your turn to make your voice heard. Join us at one of four national hearings on the BLM methane rule in Farmington on Tuesday, Feb. 16 to show strong support for cutting methane emissions.

Methane escapes with other toxic air pollutants like volatile organic compounds that contribute to smog formation and carcinogens like benzene. That means when methane is leaked into our air, it can spike asthma attacks and cancer rates.

Strong rules that curb natural gas leaks and releases are an important first step we can take to reduce waste, methane’s powerful impact on climate change and your health. RSVP to attend a public hearing on the rule in Farmington on Feb. 16.

It’s critical that New Mexicans like you are heard at the Farmington hearing because we are directly impacted by methane emissions. In 2014, NASA discovered a giant methane “hotspot” the size of Delaware hovering over NM’s San Juan Basin. It is one of the highest concentration of airborne methane in the nation – and it disproportionately impacts our rural, indigenous and Latino families in the Four Corners region by contributing to high rates of asthma in communities already coping with a legacy of air and water pollution.

CVNM Education Fund is working with a large, diverse coalition to engage New Mexicans like you in urging BLM to craft strong rules to reduce methane waste and protect health. When the EPA released a companion rule recently, the nationwide coalition collected and submitted over 800,000 comments to the EPA. Thank you for joining in this effort!