For Immediate Release: November 11, 2022
Contact: Bill Bradlee, National Organizing Director, bill@interfaithpowerandlight.org, 415-506-8063
EPA New Methane Rule: Helping to Protect Our Common Home
Oakland, CA, Nov. 11, 2022 – Today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released an updated rule to cut methane and other harmful pollutants from oil and gas operations throughout the United States. Interfaith Power & Light supports the EPA in acting on a moral opportunity to address the climate crisis and better protect the millions of people living on the frontlines of oil and gas development.
This new EPA rule builds on the draft rule released by EPA in 2021, and heeds the call of the many people of faith and conscience who submitted public comments and provided testimony urging the Biden EPA to address some shortcomings of the initial rule. The new rule does that and will further limit methane pollution and wasted methane from oil and gas operations.
Sister Joan Brown, osf, Executive Director, New Mexico Interfaith Power and Light, said: “People of faith see climate change as the greatest ethical and moral concern of our time. In order to address the climate crisis, we must address methane pollution. This is an issue of justice for frontline communities. Children living near oil & gas facilities are at risk for higher rates of childhood asthma and hospitalization from asthma. We must act now for life.”
Bill Bradlee, National Organizing Director of Interfaith Power & Light said, “People of faith and conscience, with a shared commitment for stewardship, support strong methane pollution safeguards. As the largest historic emitter of climate pollution and at a time when nations are meeting in Egypt for the international climate conference, this stronger rule, along with the international Global Methane Pledge and the methane fee in the Inflation Reduction Act are critical to helping us move in the right direction.”
Interfaith Power & Light urges the EPA to finalize these strong methane safeguards without delay.
###
Interfaith Power & Light is a national nonprofit with 40 state affiliates reaching 22,000+ congregations in all 50 states. IPL inspires and mobilizes people of faith and conscience to take bold and just action on climate change.
