Take action to protect air quality and reduce waste on public lands!

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) just released a draft rule aimed at curbing the wasteful practices of flaring, venting, and leaking natural gas on all public and tribal lands.

In 2014, Colorado led the nation in passing tough air-quality rules that address some of these issues. Now is the chance for all Americans to receive the same protections.

You can read the BLM’s overview here, but in sum, this rule would:

• Reduce drilling-related air pollution
• Decrease the amount of natural gas that is unnecessarily wasted
• Increase royalty revenues for both state and tribal governments

Though we support the BLM’s proposed rule, we’re urging the agency to strengthen it with provisions to do the following:

• Improve leak detection and repair requirements
• Improve regulation of flaring
• Control methane emissions from oil and gas infrastructure better

The rule is open for public comment until April 8.

WCC is working with partners from across the region to make these the best rules possible, and we need your help to do so.

How you can support the BLM Methane Rule:

1. Attend our BLM Methane Rule Workshop on Wednesday, Feb. 24, 5:30pm at the Clarion Inn in Grand Junction. RSVP and learn more here.

2. Can’t make it to Grand Junction? Learn more on a BLM Methane Rule webinar offered by the Western Organization of Resource Councils on Thursday, Feb. 25 at 6pm. RSVP here.

3. Sign up to attend the BLM public hearing in Denver on Tuesday, March 1. Resources are available to help with travel. More information here.

4. Send a comment to the BLM in support of the rule and ask them to strengthen it in key areas. Comments are due by April 8.

Want to learn more? Check out these resources:

Follow Living With Oil and Gas, a social media project documenting stories of Westerners impacted by oil and gas in their backyards.

Read Falling Short, a state-by-state report on oil and gas air-quality regulations by WORC and the Western Environmental Law Center.

Read The Flaring Boom, a WORC report examining the causes and effects of flaring, venting, and leaking of natural gas and ways to curtail these wasteful practices.