New Mexico Community and Environmental Groups Thank Their Federal Delegation for Standing up to Congressional Gutting of Waste Emissions Charge

“This repeal only benefits those oil and gas companies that have failed to meet the industry’s own pollution reduction targets. Methane leaks from the oil and gas industry are a huge waste of valuable energy resources. The methane polluter fee is a well-designed, practical, cost-effective solution to reduce wasted natural gas. These attacks on the methane polluter fee will create uncertainty for oil and gas producers, waste America’s natural resources and harm Americans’ health and the economy. Thank you to the entire New Mexico delegation for once again standing strong on efforts to cut methane waste and pollution from the oil and gas industry.”
— Jon Goldstein, Associate Vice President, Energy Transition, EDF

“Reducing methane pollution helps protect the health and safety of our children, communities, and is one of the best levers we have for combating global warming. Repealing the methane polluters fee threatens critical pollution protections for our families and those living near oil and gas facilities. Parents in New Mexico are grateful that all of our delegation voted to hold the largest methane polluters accountable and stand for the right of our children to breathe clean air and live in a safe, stable climate.”
– Celerah Hewes, National Field Manager, Moms Clean Air Force (New Mexico Resident)

“People of faith in New Mexico believe that caring for communities, and our sacred water, air and land is an ethical and moral responsibility. For more than 10 years people of faith and conscience in New Mexico have worked for strong methane safeguards. Thank you to the NM delegations for recognizing that the Waste Emission Charge is important and would have helped companies be more responsible for the Common Good.  We are all called to be good neighbors and to care for God’s creation and one another.  This was one simple and effective way to make sure that business is responsible.”
– Sister Joan Brown, osf, Community Advocate, New Mexico and El Paso Interfaith Power and Light

“Elected officials and the communities they serve are burdened daily with the economic, health and environmental impacts of methane pollution, a powerful greenhouse gas with more than 80 times the near-term warming power of carbon dioxide. The Waste Emissions Charge was a commonsense measure to cut needless methane waste, and it only affected the oil and gas industry’s biggest polluters who fail to comply with federal standards. Thank you to the New Mexico members of Congress for voting to keep the implementing rule in place to safeguard our air quality, prevent the loss of natural gas revenue that belongs to taxpayers and support the growing methane mitigation industry.”
– Jessica Pace, Interim Executive Director, Western Leaders Network

“New Mexico should not be available as a ‘sacrifice zone’ any longer. Methane pollution is destroying the fragile ecosystems of our beloved state and hurting our people. If companies are extracting the resources from our lands, they need to do so with utmost care and safeguards against creating more damage. The Waste Emissions Charge worked to ensure these companies minimize the impacts of their operations and would have helped curb the rampant release of methane in the Permian Basin.