Time to cut natural gas leaks, waste

Every single year, upwards of $100 million dollars’ worth of natural gas from tribal and federal lands

is wasted in New Mexico because oil and gas companies will deliberately release and burn natural

gas into the atmosphere or just from leaky wells, equipment, pipelines and storage facilities.

These fugitive gas leaks are toxic to human health as well as the environment.

As a local physician, I see the health damage done to my patients that is a cost and suffering they

must bear. This is one of the externalized costs forced on us citizens by the oil and gas industry that’s

only concern is their bottom line and is facilitated by their hand-picked sycophant Aubrey Dunn, the

New Mexico state land commissioner.

This waste has to stop. While oil and gas companies might be focused on making a quick buck, these

are publicly owned resources that should be developed responsibly and efficiently. People and

environmental health are more important than the industry profits, but unfortunately Dunn doesn’t

see it that way.

Unfortunately, Dunn actually opposed common-sense rules to cut natural gas waste.

He’d rather stump for the oil and gas lobby than listen to the dozens of local officials, hunters and

anglers, Latino organizations, public health experts and conservation groups as well as thousands of

New Mexicans that back new rules to cut natural gas waste.

We know oil and gas companies can do better. Other western states such as Wyoming and Colorado

have adopted measures that were successful in cutting natural gas waste.

Instead of spinning industry talking points, Dunn should look at what these other states have done

and back efforts that will help cut waste right here in New Mexico and across the West. Stopping the

waste would seem to be a win-win solution as more product could be sold with more royalties

collected by the state and improved health for our people and environment.

If Dunn opposes these common-sense solutions we must ask then whom does he work for? The

citizens or those in the fossil fuel business?

NGS INDIA