Andrew R. Wheeler U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, D.C. 20460

Nov. 25, 2019

Dear Administrator Wheeler,

We the undersigned write in opposition to the Environmental Protection Agency’s rollback of its methane emission standards. Recently, the EPA released a proposed rule to completely eliminate regulations for methane emissions from the oil and gas industry, which would remove from the scope of federal oversight all existing oil and gas facilities nationwide. This is yet another blow to taxpayers and the environment in addition to the agency’s separate proposal last fall to significantly weaken pollution control standards adopted in 2016. By doing this, EPA is also attempting to shirk its legal obligation to regulate existing oil and gas pollution sources and protect our health and environment by addressing climate change.

As local elected officials from across the Interior West, we can speak from experience about the realities of climate change. We’re seeing more frequent and extreme droughts, heatwaves, floods, wildfires and other impacts that threaten our economies and quality of life. And we know that reducing methane is a key piece of addressing our climate crisis. As such, we can’t be serious about addressing climate change while simultaneously undoing protections against a greenhouse gas that’s 87 times more potent that carbon dioxide in disrupting the climate. Moreover, a recent study found that the oil and gas industry produces more than 13 million metric tons of methane pollution annually, which is 60 percent more than EPA estimates. Failing to stop preventable methane waste is also a misuse of taxpayer resources. Tens of millions of royalty dollars are wasted each year as a result of wasted natural gas, which means many of our energy-producing western states and communities miss out on critical funding for infrastructure projects, public services and education.

If EPA adopts both proposals and entirely rescinds current methane pollution standards, by EPA’s own estimates it would result in 730,000 to 830,000 additional tons of methane from new sources through 2025. Not only is this contradictory to protecting citizens and our environment, it’s contradictory to many leading oil and gas companies’ own call for responsible, commonsense methane regulations to address energy waste and climate pollution.

Over the past two years, many of the undersigned local elected officials also signed multiple letters to the Interior Department, opposing the Bureau of Land Management’s rescission of its own rules to limit methane waste from oil and gas operations on federal land. The reasons are the same: we need to be strengthening, not weakening, federal standards that will cut down on needless methane waste that cheats our taxpayers, pollutes our environment and threatens our public health.

We’re proud of the western states that have strengthened their resolve to reduce methane pollution and combat climate change in the midst of so many rollbacks of environmental safeguards at the federal level. Colorado for example, has already created strong, enforceable statewide standards to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and cut down on unnecessary methane waste, and is currently in the processing of adopting its own protections against oil and gas pollution. We need these regulations now more than ever. Waste is not a western value, and EPA’s elimination of methane regulations – for the sole purpose of giving the oil and gas industry a break that many companies do not even want – is shamefully wasteful, lacks foresight, and is out of step with what American citizens want and deserve.

Sincerely,

Philbert Bailey Matt Jones San Xavier District Chairman Boulder County Commissioner Tohono O’odham Nation Colorado Arizona Aaron Brockett Austin Nunez Boulder City Councilor San Xavier District Chairman Colorado Tohono O’odham Nation Arizona Cindy Carlisle Boulder City Councilor Phyllis Valenzuela Colorado San Xavier District Councilmember Tohono O’odham Nation Suzanne Jones Arizona Mayor, City of Boulder Colorado Heidi Harmon Mayor, City of San Luis Obispo Ben Bohmfalk California Carbondale Town Trustee Colorado Auden Schendler Basalt Town Councilor Heather Henry Colorado Carbondale Town Trustee Colorado Deb Gardner Boulder County Commissioner Lani Kitching Colorado Carbondale Town Trustee Colorado Elise Jones Boulder County Commissioner Dan Richardson Colorado Mayor, Town of Carbondale Colorado Bill Gippe Marty Silverstein Erie Town Trustee Carbondale Town Trustee Colorado Colorado Christiaan van Woudenberg Erica Sparhawk Erie Town Trustee Carbondale Town Trustee Colorado Colorado Gail Watson Luis Yllanes Gilpin County Commissioner Carbondale Town Trustee Colorado Colorado Marjorie Sloan George Marlin Mayor, City of Golden Clear Creek County Commissioner Colorado Colorado Bennett Boeschenstein Randy Wheelock Former Mayor Pro Tem, City of Grand Clear Creek County Commissioner Junction Colorado Colorado

Melissa Youssef Jamie Harkins Mayor, City of Durango Mayor Pro Tem, City of Lafayette Colorado Colorado

Kathy Chandler-Henry Stephanie Walton Eagle County Commissioner Lafayette City Councilor Colorado Colorado

Jeanne McQueeney Gwen Lachelt Eagle County Commissioner La Plata County Commissioner Colorado Colorado

Matt Scherr Rachel Landis Eagle County Commissioner La Plata Electric Association Board Director Colorado Colorado

Jennifer Carroll Polly Christensen Mayor, Town of Erie Mayor Pro Tem, City of Longmont Colorado Colorado

Geoff Deakin Joan Peck Mayor Pro Tem, Town of Erie Longmont City Councilor Colorado Colorado

Connie Sullivan Sean Murphy Mayor, Town of Lyons Telluride Town Councilor Colorado Colorado

Jenny Willford Tom Watkinson Northglenn City Councilor Telluride Town Councilor Colorado Colorado

Steven Child Cindy Riegel Pitkin County Commissioner Teton County Commissioner Colorado Idaho

George Newman Bob Muckle Pitkin County Commissioner Mayor, City of Louisville Colorado Colorado

Greg Poschman Jessica Karjala Pitkin County Commissioner State Representative Colorado Montana

Jason Anderson Emma Kerr-Carpenter Saguache County Commissioner State Representative Colorado Montana

Hilary Cooper Andrea Olsen San Miguel County Commissioner State Representative Colorado Montana

Kris Holstrum Margie MacDonald San Miguel County Commissioner State Senator Colorado Montana

Lance Waring Jenny Brekhus San Miguel County Commissioner Mayor, City of Reno Colorado Nevada

Karn Stiegelmeier Diane Denish Summit County Commissioner Former Lt. Governor Colorado New Mexico

Lars Carlson Telluride Town Councilor State Land Commissioner Colorado New Mexico

Maggie Toulouse Oliver Jeff Steinborn Secretary of State State Senator New Mexico New Mexico

Tim Eichenberg State Treasurer State Senator, Majority Whip New Mexico New Mexico

Stephen Fischmann Bill Tallman Public Regulation Commissioner State Senator New Mexico New Mexico

Cynthia Hall Public Regulation Commissioner State Senator New Mexico New Mexico

Jacob Candelaria Anthony Allison State Senator State Representative New Mexico New Mexico

Joseph Cervantes Deborah Armstrong State Senator State Representative New Mexico New Mexico

Bill O’Niell Karen C. Bash State Senator State Representative New Mexico New Mexico

Nancy Rodriguez Micaela Lara Cadena State Senator State Representative New Mexico New Mexico

Antoinette Sedillo Lopez Gail Chasey State Senator State Representative New Mexico New Mexico

Benny Shendo, Jr. Joanne Ferrary State Senator State Representative New Mexico New Mexico

Elizabeth Stefanics Natalie Figueroa State Senator State Representative New Mexico New Mexico

Joy Garratt Nathan Small State Representative State Representative New Mexico New Mexico

Dayan Hochman-Vigil Liz Thomson State Representative State Representative New Mexico New Mexico

Georgene Louis Linda Trujillo State Representative State Representative New Mexico New Mexico

Javier Martinez Isaac Benton State Representative Albuquerque City Councilor New Mexico New Mexico

Matthew McQueen Pat Davis State Representative Albuquerque City Councilor New Mexico New Mexico

William Pratt Diane Gibson State Representative Albuquerque City Councilor New Mexico New Mexico

Andrea Romero Tim Keller State Representative Mayor, City of Albuquerque New Mexico New Mexico

Andres Romero Rosalyn Fry State Representative Aztec City Commissioner New Mexico New Mexico

Patricia Roybal Caballero Mark Lewis State Representative Aztec City Commissioner New Mexico New Mexico

Angelica Rubio Victor Snover State Representative Mayor, City of Aztec New Mexico New Mexico

Debra Sarinana Maggie Hart Stebbins State Representative Bernalillo County Commissioner New Mexico New Mexico

Debbie O’Malley Kathleen Holian Bernalillo County Commissioner Former Santa Fe County Commissioner New Mexico New Mexico

Lynn Ellins Dona Ana County Commissioner Former Santa Fe City Councilor, New Mexico Former Mayor of Española New Mexico Harry Browne Grant County Commissioner Carol Romero-Wirth New Mexico Santa Fe City Councilor New Mexico Alicia Edwards Grant County Commissioner Renee Villarreal New Mexico Santa Fe City Councilor New Mexico Ken Miyagishima Mayor, City of Las Cruces Alan Webber New Mexico Mayor, City of Santa Fe New Mexico Gill Sorg Mayor Pro Tem, City of Las Cruces Tom Blankenhorn New Mexico Taos County Commissioner New Mexico Gabe Vasquez Las Cruces City Councilor Nathaniel Evans New Mexico Taos Town Councilor New Mexico Jody Benson Former Secretary, Los Alamos School Debra March Board Mayor, City of Henderson New Mexico Nevada

Daniel Tso Kalen Jones Navajo Nation Council Delegate Moab City Councilor New Mexico Utah

GloJean Todacheene Glenn J. Wright San Juan County Commissioner Summit County Councilor New Mexico Utah

Anna Hansen Pete Gosar Santa Fe County Commissioner Albany County Commissioner New Mexico Wyoming

Pete Laybourn Cheyenne City Councilor Wyoming

Mark Newcomb Teton County Commissioner Wyoming

Luther Propst Teton County Commissioner Wyoming