DeGette introduces bill to combat damaging climate pollutant

Today, Representative Diana DeGette (D-C.O.) introduced The Methane Waste Prevention Act of 2019 directing the Secretary of the Interior to create federal guidelines that limit natural gas waste across our public lands. The bill addresses the Trump administration’s insisted reliance on the patchwork system of natural gas waste regulations across western states, which ultimately will lead to increased pollution, degraded air quality, and millions of dollars in lost royalty revenues for taxpayers.

This important legislation would direct the Secretary to establish a new rule to reduce and prevent natural gas waste, including gas wasted by venting, flaring and leaking, across all public lands. The directive outlines similar provisions to those found in the 2016 Bureau of Land Management Methane Rule repealed by the Trump Administration last year, as well as some improvements, including more ambitious natural gas emission capture goals.

“Methane is a super pollutant with a warming potential that is 86 times greater than carbon dioxide. It is critical we take action to address the immense harm such a pollutant causes to the health of the public and the environment,” said Jenny Kordick, advocacy director at The Wilderness Society.

“Public lands should be part of the climate solution, not part of the problem. We applaud Congresswoman DeGette for stepping up where the Trump administration has utterly failed in addressing the serious problem of methane pollution on our public lands.” 

The 2016 BLM Methane Rule would have mandated the capture of these harmful emissions from natural gas production on public lands, in a consistent and stable way.

More than $330 million worth of natural gas is wasted each year on public and tribal lands, according to The State of Methane. However, if the 2016 Rule was implemented, taxpayers would expect to earn $800 million in royalties over the next decade from the captured gas.

We support Congresswoman DeGette’s bill and will continue to fight to ensure public lands are part of the climate solution, not the problem.

CONTACT:

• Alex Thompson, Communications Manager, The Wilderness Society, (202) 429-3940, alex_thompson@tws.org

The Wilderness Society, founded in 1935, is the leading conservation organization working to protect wilderness and inspire Americans to care for our wild places. With more than one million members and supporters, The Wilderness Society has led the effort to permanently protect 111 million acres of wilderness and to ensure sound management of our shared national lands. www.wilderness.org