Political Quotes

“This amendment doesn't make sense from an economic perspective or a health perspective. It would block implementation of the Environmental Protection Agency's commonsense standards for sources of emissions of methane in the oil and gas industry. {time} 1115 And while we invest in renewable energy, at the same time, we know that we can't wait to transition entirely to renewable energy before we address other side effects of the extraction process, like methane. Pound for pound, methane pollution from oil and gas wells is 30 times more potent than carbon dioxide and is responsible for a quarter of human-made climate change. This EPA rule, frankly, is just a starting point. It is a long overdue standard for the oil and gas industry to reduce methane pollution. Frankly, I wish these rules went further, but these stricter standards are a good start; they are necessary. Scientists have published data that shows that methane released during extraction is an incredibly large contributor to the climate threat. I think it is really critical not to prevent the EPA from moving forward and fulfilling the mission that Congress gave them to protect our air, water, and planet, and that is what this amendment would do, which is why I oppose it. Ms. McCOLLUM. Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.”