Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2018

Floor Speech

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Mr. Chair, I want to thank my colleague for yielding me time.

Mr. Chair, yesterday the House passed a $7.9 billion downpayment to address the destruction caused by Hurricane Harvey, which is projected now to cost as much as $180 billion--by far, today, the costliest hurricane to hit the United States.

Today, we are considering an amendment which would prohibit BLM from implementing a rule to address the wasteful venting, flaring, and leaking of methane, which is a climate change-causing emission 30 times more powerful than carbon dioxide.

New Mexico is currently home to the largest methane hot spot in the world. Not only is methane a powerful greenhouse gas, but every cubic foot of gas that is wasted into the atmosphere cheats hardworking New Mexican taxpayers out of precious royalty and tax payments which go toward public education, infrastructure, and community development programs.

Our State desperately needs these investments, and we cannot afford to let money disappear into thin air. BLM, in fact, should work with stakeholders, especially small independent producers who have low- producing wells to make this workable. But taking a sledgehammer to our Nation's energy policy is a shortsighted and counterproductive effort.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment and to collaborate to make this rule effective for producers and taxpayers alike.

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