{"id":44987,"date":"2021-08-26T20:08:00","date_gmt":"2021-08-27T02:08:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/new-mexico-engages-with-bidens-energy-secretary-on-methane-rules\/"},"modified":"2021-08-27T02:08:00","modified_gmt":"2021-08-27T02:08:00","slug":"new-mexico-engages-with-bidens-energy-secretary-on-methane-rules","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/new-mexico-engages-with-bidens-energy-secretary-on-methane-rules\/","title":{"rendered":"New Mexico engages with Biden\u2019s energy secretary on methane rules"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><figure class=\"wp-block-image naviga-inline-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/imengine.public.prod.dur.navigacloud.com\/?uuid=e85d384c-c43d-5015-a3e8-07583065c848&amp;function=cover&amp;type=preview&amp;source=false&amp;width=2000\" width=\"800\" height=\"532\" alt=\"New Mexico has been a major producer of oil and natural gas since hydrocarbons were first discovered in the state during the early 1920s. (Courtesy of San Juan Citizens Alliance)\" class=\"naviga-image\" loading=\"lazy\"><figcaption><span class=\"caption\">New Mexico has been a major producer of oil and natural gas since hydrocarbons were first discovered in the state during the early 1920s. (Courtesy of San Juan Citizens Alliance)<\/span><span class=\"credit\">cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><p>ALBUQUERQUE \u2013 As New Mexico leans into renewable-energy goals, clean-air advocates highlighted both progress and challenges during a recent visit by America\u2019s top energy official.<\/p>\n<p>Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm visited the state as the Biden administration looked to promote renewable-energy initiatives.<\/p>\n<p>Celerah Hewes, New Mexico field consultant for Moms Clean Air Force, met with the secretary to explain the state\u2019s clean-energy transition efforts and to highlight air-quality problems created by the oil and gas industry.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have a few things that are pretty unique about the way our legislative system works and how oil and gas functions in New Mexico,\u201d Hewes said. \u201cAnd how we can be a leader in kind of a transition away from fossil fuels.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>While carbon dioxide is by far the largest contributor to climate change, a recent report suggested 30% to 50% of the current rise in temperatures is attributable to methane emissions.<\/p>\n<p>An analysis by the Environmental Defense Fund in 2020 estimated New Mexico\u2019s oil and gas companies emit more than 1 million metric tons of methane annually.<\/p>\n<p>Hewes argued New Mexico needs both new state and federal methane rules.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe can make changes here in New Mexico as any state can, but when we\u2019re talking about oil and gas and air pollution and climate change, we\u2019re talking about problems that cross boundaries,\u201d Hewes said. \u201cSo having a strong federal regulation is really important.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Hewes said the meetings with Granholm also included discussions about New Mexico\u2019s efforts to lower utility costs.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re looking at electrification within our homes, and solutions that help to ensure children have some sort of equity within their homes and make it affordable for families that can\u2019t afford it because it is an environmental-justice issue as well,\u201d Hewes said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Heat-trapping gas blamed for 30-50% of rising global temperatures<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":44988,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[3369,1030,738,3163,138],"naviga_topic":[],"class_list":["post-44987","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-coal-bed-methane","tag-environment","tag-environmental-issue","tag-global-warming","tag-new-mexico"],"acf":[],"author_name":"dh_admin","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44987","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=44987"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44987\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/44988"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=44987"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=44987"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=44987"},{"taxonomy":"naviga_topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/naviga_topic?post=44987"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}