A Four-Part Virtual Conversation Series
Join a coalition of climate, equity and justice, and environmental organizations monthly as we discuss how oil and gas pollution and the resulting climate change is already impacting New Mexicans and what we can do about it.
As part of its efforts to keep the public informed on activities associated with the Ozone Attainment Initiative, the New Mexico Environment Department created a new webpage for the methane and ozone air quality rulemaking scheduled to begin September 20, 2021. On this page, the Department will post up-to-date information on the proposed rule, information on the hearing before the Environmental Improvement Board, technical documents, modeling information associated with the proposed rule, Notices of Intent to present technical testimony filed in the rulemaking proceeding, pre-petition stakeholder comments, public outreach material and other key documents as they become available.
Unearthed: Exploring Oil and Gas Issues in New Mexico is a multimedia initiative designed to educate and engage the public in a productive conversation about climate change and energy production in New Mexico.
Energy production and distribution is contributing to massive amounts of uncontrolled leaking methane and carcinogenic gases.
Unearthed utilizes the power of local voices in film, storytelling, and community collaboration to bridge the gap between ideological extremes, linking climate, economy, and health so that they are more easily understood as non-partisan issues.
Using new field data and extensive research studies, scientists at EDF have estimated oil and gas methane emissions across New Mexico to be at least one million metric tons per year, surpassing all prior estimates for the state.
Key Finders:
The Environment Department’s Air Quality Bureau operates a network of ambient air monitors that continually sample the air across New Mexico, except for Bernalillo County and tribal lands. Click here to go to the NMED Air Monitoring web site, where you can view photos of the sites, learn more about what pollutants we monitor and their potential health effects. You can select data for any of the sites, and customize a report or graph to meet your needs. There are also maps and links to other sources of air monitoring data and information.
The Oil & Gas Threat Map shows that oil and gas air pollution isn’t someone else’s problem, it’s everyone’s problem.
Until very recently there were no limits on oil and gas methane pollution. So it’s no surprise that the oil and gas industry is the United States’ largest methane polluter.
The Map was created to make aware the public and decision-makers that this type of air pollution is a ubiquitous health threat that should be addressed with strong government standards. And that eliminating existing methane standards comes at the expense of the health and air that governments are obliged to protect.
