methane

Senate Republicans voted against a resolution that would have stopped the Trump administration from delaying critical methane pollution standards — a decision that leaves New Mexico vulnerable to pollution from Texas’ unregulated oil and gas fields ...

For Immediate Release
July 30, 2025
Contact: Antoinette Reyes, Antoinette.Reyes@sierraclub.org The EPA Delays Implementation of Critical Methane Pollution Controls, Jeopardizing the Health and Air Quality of Thousands of New Mexicans Las Cruces, N.M. – Yesterday, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin issued an interim final rule delaying implementation of Biden-era changes to Section 111b of the Clean Air Act, which updated greenhouse gases (GHG), volatile organic compounds (VOC), and methane pollution standards for new and existing oil and gas facilities. Methane is ...

By Antoinette Reyes, Chapter Permian and Southern NM organizer After 10 years of work by environmental and frontline communities in New Mexico and around the country, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham joined EPA Administrator Michael Regan at the UN Climate Summit to announce EPA safeguards to slash methane and other harmful pollution from the oil and gas industry, a major win for climate and public health. Thousands of New Mexicans have spoken out in favor of strong methane and ...

Photo: Reporters film Earthwork’s Pete Dronkers with an infrared camera at one of the Four Corners sites that a NASA report found to be a ‘super-emitter’ of invisible methane gas. CONTACT: Camilla Feibelman, camilla.feibelman@sierraclub.org, 505.715.8388 New Mexico Environmental Improvement Board adopts nation-leading air pollution rules for oil and gas operators Conservation, public health, and community leaders from across New Mexico applauded the Environmental Improvement Board’s April 14 preliminary approval of final ozone precursor regulations for oil and gas production and processing ...

On November 2, the Environmental Protection Agency released critical new draft rules to reduce methane emissions and other pollution from the oil and gas industry. Methane is a greenhouse gas that is more than 80 times more powerful than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period. Methane is also emitted alongside other harmful pollution that puts communities at risk of serious negative health effects ...

Eighty-five of you (parents, kids, faith leaders, Sierra Club members) spoke in favor of strong smog rules in front of the Environmental Improvement Board at the end of September. The Environmental Improvement Board hearing lasted two weeks and involved testimony, witnesses, and cross-examining, all while climate and community groups made a case for the strongest safeguards possible. Our lawyers, witnesses and public commenters advocated for some areas of improvement to the draft rule.  ...

May 6, 2021 | News Release Today, the New Mexico Environment Department proposed new rules to limit emissions from oil and gas operations in the state by requiring companies to detect and repair leaks as well as control other pollution sources. The new rules aim to elevate New Mexico’s position for clean air regulations on the oil and gas industry among major-producing states from worst to first. Today’s rules combine with companion rules from the state’s Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources Department (EMNRD) limiting ...

April 27, 2021 Senate Passes Resolution to Reinstate Methane Pollution Safeguards Washington, DC — Today, the Senate passed (52-42) a resolution that would reinstate the Environmental Protection Agency’s 2016 methane pollution safeguards for the oil and gas industry. The move is another critical step forward in undoing the previous administration’s reckless assaults on vital climate and public health protections. Last night, the White House released a statement indicating their support of the resolution. Methane, the primary component of fracked gas, ...

In a letter to the Biden administration, 134 environmental, public health, and advocacy organizations are urging President Biden to direct the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to use the full power of sections 111(b) and 111(d) of the Clean Air Act to reduce methane air pollution from new and existing sources of oil and gas development by 65% by 2025 ...

Senators Heinrich, King, and Markey and Majority Leader Schumer introduced a resolution in the Senate and U.S. Reps. DeGette, Peters, and Lamb introduced a resolution in the House that would reinstate the Environmental Protection Agency's 2016 methane pollution safeguards ...