WASHINGTON (May 10, 2017)—Today, the U.S. Senate voted against advancing a resolution overturning important rules to rein in dangerous methane emissions on public lands. This resolution would have allowed oil and gas companies to do serious damage, and its defeat is a victory for the climate and public interest, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists.
Below is a statement by Jeremy Martin, senior scientist with the Clean Vehicles Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists.
“Methane is a potent contributor to climate change, and letting companies simply vent or flare methane in vast quantities from their operations on publicly-owned lands is foolhardy. That’s why it’s so important that we protect common-sense standards, and why this resolution deserved a ‘no’ vote.”
“This resolution would have put the convenience of oil and gas companies ahead of taxpayers. Let’s remember we’re talking about public, not private, lands. These companies need to be accountable for the pollution they create, and this resolution would have made that nearly impossible—not only would it have overturned current rules, it would have blocked future administrations from setting standards. The fact that the Senate rejected this short-sighted resolution is an encouraging sign. We need to work together to cut emissions.”