The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has announced its latest regulatory proposal to reduce substantially oil and gas methane pollution. The new draft builds on and strengthens the agency’s initial proposal released last November. Texas Impact Executive Director Bee Moorhead said the proposed rule represents progress:
Texans of faith understand our obligations to each other and our responsibility to care for this land that God has provided. We are grateful that the Biden administration has listened to the faith community and announced action to reduce methane and other health harming pollutants. The EPA’s proposed rule includes important provisions to cut pollution from equipment like pneumatic controllers and require inspections at smaller wells with leak-prone equipment. We can tell that EPA is committed to progress on eliminating pollution from the wasteful and harmful practice of routine flaring of gas at oil wells but we urge EPA to do more. Eliminating pollution from this reckless and irresponsible practice is the right, just, and reasonable step we can take now to combat the climate crisis that threatens people’s lives. We look forward to working with the EPA to suggest improvements on its proposed flaring framework and eliminate this pollution.