New Mexico governor moves to limit methane emissions, combat climate change

Source: Reuters

SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS JANUARY 29, 2019 / 7:01 PM / UPDATED 5 HOURS AGO

New Mexico governor moves to limit methane emissions, combat climate change

Laila Kearney, Jennifer Hiller
3 MIN READ

(Reuters) - New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham on Tuesday ordered state officials to develop regulations to reduce methane emissions from its oil and gas industry and separately rollback statewide greenhouse gas output over the next decade.

The New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department and Environment Department were directed to enact methane emission reduction “rules as soon as practicable,” the executive order said.

Lujan Grisham, a recently-elected Democrat, campaigned on the promise of tightening environmental guidelines for the southwestern state’s fossil fuels sector.

As home to part of the booming Permian Basin oil hub, New Mexico has doubled its oil output in recent years to become one of the top crude-producing states.

In her executive order, the governor also formed a task force to develop a plan to curb the state’s greenhouse gas emissions by 45 percent from 2005 levels by the year 2030. The group is set to release its initial recommendations by Sept. 15.

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Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-new-mexico-regulation-energy/new-mexico-governor-moves-to-limit-methane-emissions-combat-climate-change-idUSKCN1PN35R