Alan Lowenthal: “I include in the Record two letters opposing this resolution and supporting the BLM Methane Waste Prevention Rule. The…”

“I include in the Record two letters opposing this resolution and supporting the BLM Methane Waste Prevention Rule. The first is from 78 environmental, conservation, public interest, and sportsmen's groups urging a ``no'' vote on this resolution. The second is a letter from 13 public health and medical organizations strongly urging a ``no'' vote on this resolution because of the damage that it will do to public health. January 31, 2017. Dear Member of Congress: On behalf of our millions of members and supporters, we write to urge you to oppose any effort to use the Congressional Review Act to overturn the Bureau of Land Management's Methane and Natural Gas Waste Rule. We rely on laws and regulations to protect taxpayer resources and to keep our air and water clean and healthy. While we oppose the use of the CRA for any rule, the BLM rule is one of the anticipated targets to be considered under a Congressional Review Act Resolution. The BLM rule is a common sense policy that requires the oil and gas industry to reduce venting, flaring, and leaks at industry operations on public and tribal lands by deploying methane mitigation technology. Currently, more than $330 million worth of natural gas is wasted on public and tribal lands each year, meaning that taxpayers could lose out on $800 million in royalties over the next decade due to venting and flaring of this gas.…”