On November 14, the Environmental Protection Agency held public hearings in Denver regarding the Trump Administration’s proposed rollback of the EPA’s New Source Performance Standards.
These standards were put in place to protect Americans from harmful methane pollution.
I was there as a member of the environmental advocacy group Defend Our Future, and, like so many other individuals from across the country in attendance, I testified against this proposal.
Weakening methane safeguards will be harmful to the health of everyone, but especially for those families and individuals who live in close proximity to oil and gas facilities. More methane emissions will also contribute to a worsening climate crisis. The mastermind behind these rollbacks, acting EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler, is an ex-coal lobbyist whose values clearly do not align with the EPA’s mission to responsibly protect the health and safety of families.
We have seen time and time again how selfishly dead set the Trump administration is on eliminating the legacy and positive strides the previous administration made in cleaning up our air and combating climate change.
Every Coloradan should oppose this attempt at tearing down yet another important environmental safeguard. If Wheeler and Trump succeed, the health of families across not only Colorado but our nation will suffer.
Sarah Winebrenner
Denver