The Environmental Protection Agency kicked off a series of public hearings Tuesday, Nov. 30, on to reduce methane from oil and gas operations. New Mexico is the second largest producer of oil in the nation, but also a leader in curbing air pollution from the industry. Local advocates called on the EPA to follow the state鈥檚 lead and strengthen the proposal.
Camilla Feibelman, director of , urged the panel of regulators to make the strictest state rules on methane reduction 鈥� like some found in New Mexico 鈥� the federal minimum.
鈥淎nd protect us from states like Texas,鈥� she said, 鈥渢hat haven鈥檛 taken the steps they need to protect their own communities, much less their neighbors like us."
Feibelman pointed to earlier this year of routine venting and flaring of natural gas. The EPA proposal , which is the release of methane gas directly into the atmosphere. Flaring, on the other hand, is the controlled combustion of natural gas. , an environmental nonprofit, flaring is often done on gas that is not worth selling or poses a safety hazard.
In addition to calling for the agency to address abandoned and orphaned wells and institute more leak detection at smaller wells, Feibelman encouraged the panel to create a community monitoring program.
鈥淗ere in New Mexico, local communities 鈥� in collaboration with environmental organizations 鈥� have played a key role in reporting leaking of facilities that our agencies haven鈥檛 had the funding to address,鈥� she said.
The EPA鈥檚 continues online through Thursday, Dec. 2.
