Friday, January 22, 2016

Obama Unveils Major Global Warming Reg On The Eve Of A Massive Blizzard

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Interior is also requiring “operators to periodically inspect their operations for leaks, and to replace outdated equipment that vents large quantities of gas into the air,” according to an agency release.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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