by Michael Bastasch
...Just a week after releasing a ban on new coal mining leases,
Sec. Sally Jewell is pushing new regulations to cut the amount of
methane that’s flared or vented into the atmosphere from drillers on
federal lands. Jewell says the rules would “modernize decades-old
standards to reflect existing technologies” to fight global warming and
provide more revenues for states and tribes.
Interior is also requiring “operators to periodically inspect their
operations for leaks, and to replace outdated equipment that vents large
quantities of gas into the air,” according to an agency release.
The government is also going to make companies pay royalties for the
gas they flare, and give federal agents more flexibility to raise
royalty rates above what Congress established.
“I think most people would agree that we should be using our nation’s
natural gas to power our economy – not wasting it by venting and
flaring it into the atmosphere,” Jewell said in a statement.
Jewell’s announcement has been widely criticized by Republicans and
pro-energy groups who argue more federal regulations will simply hamper
already faltering energy production on federally controlled land.
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