America is now the world's largest natural gas producer—and a significant portion of that oil & gas production relies on federal and tribal lands. But due to outdated rules, a significant amount—$330 million worth—of our federal gas resources are being wasted every year, enough natural gas to power a city the size of Chicago for a year.
That's not just an incredible waste of resources—an estimated $800 million over the next decade in royalty revenue for the Federal Government and the States that share it—it's a dangerous release of pollution that we need to stop. Methane, the main component of natural gas, is a powerful climate pollutant packing 84 times the power of carbon dioxide in the short term.
The Department of Interior's Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has proposed a rule putting strict limits on this pollution—and we have a limited amount of time to show our support. Add your voice today!
I strongly support your proposed methane pollution limits
Dear [Decision Maker],
Thank you for taking this important step, and updating the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) natural gas regulations.
I applaud BLM for taking action to protect taxpayers, our air, and America's publicly owned resources. By taking action to reduce venting (intentional releases of gas into the atmosphere), flaring (burning off gas), and leaks from both sources in use today, as well as those that will be built in the future, BLM is setting an important precedent for strong action on all sources of oil and gas pollution and a level playing field.
As you're aware, methane is a powerful greenhouse gas, 84 times more potent than carbon dioxide in its first 20 years in the atmosphere, and responsible for 25% of the climate change we're experiencing today. If we have any hope of averting climate catastrophe, it must be addressed, and that is why I strongly support BLM's proposed regulations on industrial methane pollution.
Cost-effective solutions are readily available. An entire industry devoted to reducing methane pollution, mostly made up of small businesses, is ready to tackle the problem, creating jobs while cutting costs. Momentum on this issue has been growing at the state and federal level, and now is the time to seize this opportunity and put meaningful regulations in place.
[Your comments here]
Please finalize the strongest possible rules to reduce methane emissions and wasted gas on public and tribal lands.
Thank you,
[Your Name]
