The States of California and New Mexico are suing the Trump Administration over its decision to repeal the Waste Prevention Rule, which prevents wasteful and damaging leakage of natural gas.
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, the California Air Resources Board (CARB), and New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas filed the lawsuit against the Trump Administration.
The defendants named in the case were U.S. Department of the Interior, Secretary Ryan Zinke, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and Assistant Secretary Joseph R. Balash.
The Waste Prevention Rule requires oil and natural gas produces to reduce wasteful leakage of methane on federal and tribal lands using cost-effective measures.
In the lawsuit, Becerra and Balderas stated that the BLM tried to illegally suspend the Waste Prevention Rule twice. Now, it is attempting to eliminate its key provisions. The attorneys general said the bureau’s action is a violation of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), the Mineral Leasing Act (MLA), and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
BLM’s rationale “lacks merit”
According to the attorneys general, BLM found in 2016 that implementing the Waste Prevention Rule will result to substantial benefits annually. It will eliminate as much as 180,000 tons of methane emmissions and reduce up to 267,000 of volatile organic compound. The rule will also lessen toxic air pollutants by as much as 2,030 tons.
