Congressman Scott Tipton has cosponsored a congressional bill intending to eliminate the BLM Methane and Waste Prevention Rule applying to wells on public and tribal lands.
This rule was implemented nationwide to reduce yearly methane losses by $360 million, increasing company profits, while benefiting our health and natural environment – a win/win scenario.
Closer to home, this inefficiency resulted in the state of New Mexico alone missing out on $42 million in royalty payments since 2009.
As informed readers know, two years ago, NASA detected from space a methane cloud over our Four Corners, mostly due to leakage of old and new wells.
Although Tipton may deny that climate change is caused foremost by us humans, co-sponsoring this bill means ignoring overwhelming scientific data.
Unfortunately, submitting this bill does not change the fact that climate change is real and that methane is a powerful greenhouse gas 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide.
Data show that over the past five years, global temperatures have broken new records annually. Convince yourself by looking at the unprecedented forest die-back on Wolf Creek Pass, which is now spreading west and is only the beginning of climate-related impacts.
The costs on future generations will be staggering, and Tipton’s co-sponsorship to eliminate the BLM rule is irresponsible.
Remember, nature bats last!
Keep America great by writing or calling Congressman Tipton (202-225-4761) and asking him to withdraw his sponsorship.
Equally important, please also call Sen. Cory Gardner (202-224-5941) to urge him to vote against this bill in the Senate.
Werner Heiber
Durango
