August 15, 2016
For immediate release
ALBUQUERQUE – NASA has analyzed methane pollution in the Four Corners region, helping to identify the causes of New Mexico’s methane “hot spot”. Researchers used aerial surveys and ground crews to reach their conclusions.
What NASA researchers found highlights the need for New Mexico to embrace the Environmental Protection Agency and the Bureau of Land Management’s comprehensive oil and gas methane standards which will require oil and gas industries to cut their methane emissions from all sources. The results of the NASA study, published today, show that approximately 50 percent of all methane emissions in the San Juan Basin come from a small number of very large polluters. Researchers found only one large non-oil and gas related source – venting from the San Juan coal mine. This finding renders industry attempts to point the finger at other emission sources, like coal outcrops and landfills, to have no basis in science.
“We hope these new findings will put the importance of methane regulations back in the spotlight,” said New Mexico Wildlife Federation Deputy Director Todd Leahy. “There are common sense regulations on the table right now that would reduce methane pollution, protect our wildlife and air, and save New Mexico taxpayers money. This new study shows that the oil and gas industry as a whole must be regulated to eliminate this hot spot.”
Methane pollution harms wildlife corridors, air quality, and contributes to climate change. Without curbing this pollution, our environment, big game, and water quality could be damaged for years to come. We encourage all New Mexicans to support the EPA and BLM’s proposed regulations on the oil and gas industry, especially in light of this new study.
