LOCAL

New Mexicans testify for stronger air pollution controls on oil and gas during EPA hearing

Adrian Hedden
Carlsbad Current-Argus

Restricting methane emissions from oil and gas operators was essential to addressing climate change, said New Mexico Sen. Carrie Hamblen (D-38) who argued the impacts of such pollution from fossil fuel development “disproportionately” impacted minorities and communities of color in New Mexico.

Her comments came during a three-day public hearing on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed methane regulations that would expand federal restrictions to not only new oil and gas facilities but existing sources of emissions within the industry.

The EPA rolled out its proposal last month in response to an executive order issued by President Joe Biden in January that demanded federal agencies re-evaluate and revise policy with the goal of reducing the U.S.’ climate impact.

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A revised proposal will be issued by the EPA next year, incorporating public comments gathered at the hearing that began Tuesday and conclude on Thursday.

As written the proposal would cut methane emissions by 41 million tons through 2035, the EPA reported, and reduce volatile organic compounds (VOCS), which cause smog, by 12 million tons along with 480,000 tons of air toxics pollution.

The proposal would also led to $690 million worth of natural gas captured annually by 2030, yield net climate benefits of up $49 billion between 2023 and 2035.

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This federal action came as the State of New Mexico recently enacted multiple rulemakings at the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department (EMNRD) and New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) specifically targeting the oil and gas industry as a main source of the state’s air pollution.

Hamblen, who also serves as chief executive officer of the Las Cruces Green Chamber of Commerce, which promotes environmental practices among local businesses, said the economic benefits of oil and gas production should not be valued over the health of the environment.

She called on the EPA to revise its proposal to include more stringent monitoring requirements for oil and gas operations of all sizes, and not relaxing requirement for smaller facilities which can also pose a serious threat to the environment, Hamblen said.

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The federal agency should also take action to end flaring, the practice of burning excess natural gas, which the State of New Mexico and others recently sought to limit.

The EPA should do the same, Hamblen said.

Carrie Hamblen

“Oil and gas pollution is a social and environmental justice issue, and communities across the country are being treated as disposable so that money can be made by the few off the backs of the many,” Hamblen said during her Tuesday testimony.

“I urge the EPA to strengthen the monitoring requirement. EPA should require monitoring at smaller, high-polluting wells.”

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Carlsbad resident Kayley Shoup said her community in the Permian Basin, one of the nation’s most active oilfields in southeast New Mexico, said the tougher controls on emissions proposed by the federal government would protect local “front-line” communities where people live alongside oil and gas operations.

She said these areas, such as Carlsbad, were especially impacted by emissions from extraction facilities.

As the Permian Basin is shared by New Mexico and Texas, Shoup said the federal government must create uniform regulations to ensure air pollution is regulated regardless of differing state policies.

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While New Mexico took steps to reduce emissions such as banning most flaring activities, Shoup said neighboring Texas took “no action whatsoever.”

“Emissions do not know borders,” she said. “This lack of action by my neighbors to the east has a direct effect on the health and environment of my community. I ask you to go farther with your rule and ban routine flaring in order to show true support for my community which has done so much work to hold our own state accountable.

“It is now your turn to practice your jurisdiction in order to hold all states accountable for what they put in the air.”

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Organizations representing the oil and gas industry advocated before the EPA that it should consider the costs federal policy could impose on extraction operations in the U.S., and the potential for excessive regulatory burden weakening national energy production.

Ken O’Scannlain vice president of upstream policy with the American Petroleum Institute said the industry supported more than 10 million jobs nationwide and about 8 percent of the U.S. economy.

He said API and its members, thousands of oil and gas companies around the country, supported the direct regulation of methane and sought technological developments within the private sector to reduce the impacts of extraction.

“We urge EPA to carefully consider the availability and cost of equipment, labor and other required resources need to comply with the proposed standards,” O’Scannlain said. “These aspects are especially critical in setting workable implementation timelines given the hundreds of thousands existing sources that may need to retrofit.

Adrian Hedden can be reached at 575-618-7631, achedden@currentargus.com or @AdrianHedden on Twitter.