© 2024 KRWG
News that Matters.
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

New Mexico begins public meeting on proposed methane rules

Laura Paskus, New Mexico In Depth
/
In northwestern New Mexico, energy companies drill for oil within shale deposits. Since this photo was taken in late 2014, exploration there has slowed.

  ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico oil and gas regulators have kicked off a public hearing on proposed rules for managing venting and flaring by the industry. Oil and gas revenues underpin the state’s budget, but Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has promised that her administration would adopt some of the toughest rules in the U.S. for cracking down on methane and other emissions. Under the proposal, operators would need to reduce their waste by a fixed amount every year to achieve an ultimate gas capture rate of 98% by December 2026. Environmentalists are concerned about loopholes, saying the state should prohibit all venting and flaring.