New Mexico must put health, climate above polluters with proposed methane and air pollution rules

July 21, 2020
Background: The New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) and the Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources Department (EMNRD) released draft rules that would address air pollution from oil and gas operations. The announcement kicks-off a 30 day comment period. Statement of Earthworks Energy… More »

NMED $5M fine welcome step toward protecting public, more steps needed

July 8, 2020
Background: The New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) on Tuesday announced the assessment of a $5.3M fine for air pollution violations to oil and gas operator DCP and demanded “immediate compliance with air permit emission limits and operational requirements.” The violations… More »

The Permian Climate Bomb

May 13, 2020 • Jennifer Krill
Oil and gas production in the Permian Basin remains a major global warming threat even as the number of rigs and wells, and volume of production, dip. Read this blog on Earth Island Journal The shale bubble is bursting. The… More »

Flaring is Flamingly Stupid. Unlit Flares are Worse.

May 4, 2020 • Sharon Wilson
Last week EDF released a new aspect to its astounding Permian methane map (go visit it!) addressing unlit and malfunctioning flares. This is important because, as bad as flares are, unlit flares are worse. Flares are permitted by regulators to… More »

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Increased unlit flaring means Rystad’s oil & gas ‘silver lining’ might be illusory

April 6, 2020
Background: Today Rystad Energy announced “flaring levels in the Permian Basin have fallen sharply and will continue to decline throughout the year”. Earthworks’ certified field thermographers have made hundreds of Permian field inspections with optical gas imaging cameras since 2016 and discovered… More »

Earthworks Comments on the New Mexico Methane Advisory Panel draft technical report

February 20, 2020

Community leaders across New Mexico Applaud The Oil Conservation Commission For adopting oil and gas enforcement rules

January 16, 2020
Santa Fe, NM – Community leaders across New Mexico applauded the Oil Conservation Commission today for acting to protect the state’s air and water resources from oil and gas pollution by adopting new enforcement rules under legislation adopted in the… More »

NMED signals reprioritization of oil & gas enforcement, recognition of community advocates as enforcement allies.

January 15, 2020
“The NMED enforcement letters shift the burden of proof from the public to operators who must now demonstrate their named operations are not illegally polluting or else face direct civil enforcement action. The notices suggest that New Mexico is putting the… More »