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For Immediate Release
Contact: Email:,info@earthjustice.org

Earthjustice Statement on Newly Proposed Public Lands Methane Rules

‘Important step towards reining in climate-disrupting pollution from oil and gas industry’

WASHINGTON

The U.S. Department of the Interior unveiled a proposal today to limit methane pollution from oil and gas operations on federally owned public lands. Methane, a fast-acting climate pollutant, traps 84 times more heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide in the short term.

The move follows last week's announcement by the Obama administration that it would halt new leases for coal mining on public lands as it undergoes a thorough review of its current federal leasing program.

Following is a statement on the announcement from Abigail Dillen, Earthjustice Vice President of Litigation for Climate and Energy:

"The U.S. Department of Interior's Bureau of Land Management announcement today of a proposal to limit dangerous methane emissions from the oil and gas sector is an important step towards reining in climate-disrupting pollution from this dirty industry. We look forward to reading the proposal and working with the Bureau of Land Management to make sure the oil and gas industry is held to the highest standard and stops needless leaking, venting and flaring into the air we breathe."

Use the online version of this news release: https://earthjustice.org/news/press/2016/earthjustice-statement-on-newly-proposed-public-lands-methane-rules

The following Earthjustice experts are available to answer questions and provide comment on today's news:

Jessica Ennis (202.295.7619, jennis@earthjustice.org) is a Legislative Representative in the Washington, D.C. office of Earthjustice where she advocates protecting people, our public lands, and the environment from the impacts of oil and gas development.

Michael Freeman (303.996.9615, mfreeman@earthjustice.org) is a Staff Attorney in the Rocky Mountain regional office in Denver, Colorado where his practice focuses on protecting public lands and communities in the Rocky Mountain West from the harmful impacts of oil and gas development, and on promoting clean energy alternatives.

Timothy Ballo (202.745.5209, tballo@earthjustice.org) is a Staff Attorney in the Washington, D.C., office of Earthjustice. His work focuses on litigation to address the problem of global climate change.

Earthjustice is a non-profit public interest law firm dedicated to protecting the magnificent places, natural resources, and wildlife of this earth, and to defending the right of all people to a healthy environment. We bring about far-reaching change by enforcing and strengthening environmental laws on behalf of hundreds of organizations, coalitions and communities.

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