New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham traveled to Dubai and used the COP 28 climate control event to announce the final federal rules to reduce emissions from the oil and gas industry—an industry that is key to major revenue for her state.
She joined EPA Administrator Michael Regan and White House National climate Advisor Ali Zaidi in making the announcement during a press conference at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Dubai on Saturday.
“Now we’ve got credibility to make sure that we can demonstrate to the whole world that we can hold polluters accountable and move the needle,” she told the press conference, according to a report by CNA.
“New Mexico embarked on drafting our oil and gas rules at a time when the United States’ climate leadership was lagging. Thanks to President Biden and his administration, we are once again leading,” said Gov. Lujan Grisham, who is a Democrat.
“We are proud to have laid the foundation for this national rule, which will not only reduce emissions, but spur innovation and economic development across the country.”
The EPA worked closely with New Mexico in developing the new rule, which closely resemble rules that New Mexico adopted to curb the release of methane and ozone precursors in 2021 and 2022. Since adopting its own emissions rules, New Mexico has seen its average monthly amounts of methane released into the air decrease by 55%, while routine venting and flaring by New Mexico oil and gas producers has decreased by 70%.
A recent independent study found that the emissions related to the oil and gas production in New Mexico is just half that of neighboring and less-regulated Texas. A national standard promotes greater certainty and consistency for the industry across state lines but more importantly for the communities that live in oil and gas producing areas of the U.S.
Source: Lujan-Grisham press release
