New Mexicans are directly impacted by methane emissions from the oil and gas industry.
Methane, the main component of natural gas and a powerful pollutant, is leaked, vented and flared from the oil and gas industry. NASA discovered the "Four Corners Methane Hot Spot" — a concentration of methane the size of Delaware hovering over the San Juan Basin. It is the largest reported concentrated methane cloud in the country.
Air quality is a significant and growing concern in New Mexico. Experts link exposure to air pollutants to many adverse health effects, including exacerbation of asthma symptoms, diminished lung function, birth deformities, cardiovascular disease and childhood cancer.
Methane is also a powerful contributor to climate change. Roughly 25% of manmade global warming we are experiencing is being caused by methane.
For too long, oil and gas operations across the state have been allowed to pollute our pristine skies, use millions of gallons of fresh water and destroy our public lands without proper accountability and regulation. Enough is enough.
Governor Lujan Grisham has commited to adopting a state-level methane rule that will regulate polluters and hold them accountable for wasting publicly owned resources that could go to better fund our schools. But she needs our support! Sign and tell Governor Lujan Grisham that you support a state-level methane rule that will protect the air we breathe and address the climate crisis head on.