WORC and Western Environmental Law Center (WELC) submitted comments on methane waste to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).
The comments focused on reaffirming the BLM’s longstanding authority to reduce waste and countering the industry narrative that the rules were duplicative and unnecessary.
In addition, WORC/WELC pushed for improvements to the BLM methane rules, such as:
- Significantly reducing and eventually phasing out flaring altogether,
- Ensuring the rule is a floor rather than a ceiling for the regulation of methane emissions on public lands,
- Tightening the scenarios where companies can get exemptions to flare natural gas,
- Improving Gas-Capture Planning, and
- Pushing BLM to apply the rules to all oil and gas wells.
Case studies in comments
In addition, the comments contained case studies from New Mexico and North Dakota highlighting the need for the rule. The case studies provided examples of why the rule, as written, could still permit some oil and gas wells to flare a significant portion of their gas. The case studies also showed where states, especially North Dakota, are falling short of mitigating flaring despite having a state rule aimed at significantly reducing flaring.
Western groups sign on to methane comments
WORC/WELC’s comments saw a lot of interest from several Western groups. In total, 35 Western groups “signed on” to the comments, including these WORC member groups and local chapters:
- Dakota Resource Council,
- Idaho Organization of Resource Councils,
- Fort Berthold POWER (an affiliate of the Dakota Resource Council on the Fort Berthold Reservation), and
- Northern Plains Resource Council.
WORC groups Powder River Basin Resource Council and Western Colorado Congress submitted separate comments. WORC will closely track the BLM rules to ensure a strong rule is released this summer.
More Information
For more information about WORC’s methane campaign, feel free to contact Regional Organizer Scott Skokos sskokos[at]worc.org.