Download BLM methane faith leader letter 2016

New Mexico Interfaith Power and Light
PO Box 27162
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87125
www.nm-ipl.org**[email protected]**505-266-6966
Winter 2016
Re: BLM Methane draft rules
Faith Leader Letter In Support of Rules Addressing Methane Pollution
We live in an amazing and holy moment where decisions made at many levels can have enormous
consequences that lead to life or death. How we do business and create energy now has grave moral and
ethical implications for human health, climate change devastation and life or death for the most vulnerable
populations and the future children.
All of our religious traditions call us to be stewards of creation and care for all brothers and sisters whether
they live next door or across the oceans. The recent Papal Encyclical Laudato Si and the Muslim Declaration on
Climate Change as well as many other documents affirm stepping up actions to address climate change in a
spirit of unity and concern. Within this context we support proposed new guidelines to reduce methane
pollution from the oil and gas industry.
In his encyclical, Laudato Si: On Care of Our Common Home, a clarion call for dialogue and action to address
climate change, Pope Francis states, “In the face of possible risks to the environment which may affect the
common good now and in the future, decisions must be made “based on a comparison of the risks and
benefits foreseen for the various possible alternatives. This is especially the case when a project may lead to a
greater use of natural resources, higher levels of emission or discharge, an increase of refuse, or significant
changes to the landscape, the habitats of protected species or public spaces.” (Laudato Si 184)
The new proposed methane rules are a moral step in the right direction to address the health implications of
methane leaks with toxic chemicals such as cancer causing benzene and smog forming pollutants that trigger
asthma. Curbing methane pollution is critical because it is over 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide in
the first 20 years after release and is responsible for one-quarter of human made climate warming. If federal
action by the BLM and EPA are not taken, methane pollution from the oil and natural gas industry is projected
to increase around 25 percent over the next 10 years.
New Mexico now suffers from a NASA identified methane hot spot the size of Delaware over the San Juan
Basin, the highest concentration in the nation. Finally, it is not good stewardship to waste over 250,000 metric
tons of methane as was the case in 2013. This is almost enough natural gas to meet the annual heating and
cooking needs for all of the homes in Albuquerque (239,000 homes). In a state of so many human needs and
economic poverty the estimated $42.7 million in royalty revenue lost since 2009 is morally irresponsible.
We the undersigned cannot remain silent in the face of so many moral wrongs. We support strong rules to
address methane leaks and waste.
Peace and good,
Bishop Michael Vono
Episcopal Diocese of the Rio Grande
David Bailey
Bishop, Episcopal Church in Navajoland
Sr. Joan Brown,osf
Exec. Dir. NM Interfaith Power and Light, Albuquerque
Rev. Donna McNiel
Exec. Dir. New Mexico Conference of Churches, Albuquerque
Rose Marie Cecchini, MM
Director, Office of Life, Peace, Justice & Creation Stewardship
Catholic Charities Gallup
Abbot Joel Garner. O.Praem.
Santa Maria de la Vid Abbey, Albuquerque
Fr. Richard Rohr
Center for Action and Contemplation, Albuquerque
Rev. Adam Lee Ortega y Ortiz, Rector of Cathedral Basilica
of St. Francis of Assisi, and Pastor of Cristo Rey Church, Santa Fe
Rev Sue Joiner
First Congregational United Church of Christ, Albuquerque
Rev. Anita Amstutz
Mennonite Minister, Albuquerque
Barb O'Connor, ofs
Reg. Rep, Secular Franciscans, Santa Fe
Rev. Anne Morawski
Lutheran Campus Pastor at UNM and CNM, Albuquerque
Rev. Larry Bernard OFM
Pastor, San Diego Mission, Jemez Pueblo
Rev. Talitha Arnold
Senior Minister, The United Church of Santa Fe
Sr. Marlene Perrotte, rsm
Sisters of Mercy, Albuquerque
Geneal M.Kramer
Adrian Dominican Sister, Albuquerque
Lizabeth Rutherford, osf
Sisters of St Francis of Colorado Springs JPICC, Los Alamos
Liz McMaster
The Reverend (Ret.), Albuquerque
The Rev'd Anne Ritchings
Pastoral Associate, St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Albuquerque
David Cameron
Pastor, Immanuel Presbyterian Church
The Rev. Christopher McLaren
Rector, St. Mark¹s Episcopal Church, Albuquerque
The Rev. Holly Beaumont, D. Min.
Organizing Director, Interfaith Worker Justice - NM
Pam Fraser-Walters
President, New Mexico Interfaith Dialogue
Rev. Dr. Barbara McGarey
Pastor New Life PCUSA, ABQ, NM
Lynn R. Anner-Bolieu, B.Sc.; M.Div. Deacon (Ret.)
Episcopal Church of Navajoland
The Rev. Dr. Wallace Ford
Clergy, Albuquerque
Rev. Dr. Stephen J. Miller
Disciples of Christ retired clergy, Albuquerque
Fr. Eugene Gries, O.Praem
Norbertine Community, Albuquerque
Carol Morrison
Chair, Board of Directors, Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Silver City
Pamela Gilchrist,Clerk
Peace and Social Concerns, Santa Fe Monthly Meeting Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
The Rev. Betsy Bueschel
Rtired UCC minister, Santa Fe
The Rev. Owen Kunkle,
Deacon, St. Bedes, Espiscopal, Santa Fe
The Rev. John Zachritz
St. Stephen’s Episcopal, Espanola
Neil Amswych
Rabbi of Temple Beth Shalom, Santa Fe
Rev. Tyler Connoley
Pastor, Silver City UCC
The Rev. Dr. Richard W. Murphy
Retired Episcopal Priest, Santa Fe
Rev. Bert Scott
Retired United Methodist Clergy, Albuquerque
Ellen Buelow
Lay Social Justice Minister, Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary
Rev. Lorelei Kay
Pastor, Westminster Presbyterian Church (USA), Gallup
Rev. Karen Bash
Member of Church of the Good Shepherd
Rev. Canon Raymond Raney
Rector, Church of the Holy Cross, Edgewood
The Rev. Angela Herrera
Minister, First Unitarian Church, Albuquerque
Kathy Freeze
Parish & Faith Community Outreach Liaison, Catholic Charities, Albuquerque
Rabbi Harry Rosenfeld
Congregation Albert, Albuquerque
Sr. Elizabeth Chambers
Canossian Sisters, Albuquerque
Rabbi Paul Citrin
The Taos Jewish Center, Taos
Rev. William Thompson
Retired clergy, Christ Lutheran, Santa Fe
Rev. Karen Thompson
Retired clergy, Christ Lutheran, Santa Fe
Maxim K. Rice
United Methodist Church (ret. minister), Albuquerque
Fr. Frank Quintana
Blessed Oscar Romero Community, Albuquerque
Rabbi Min Kantowitz
Albuquerque
Rev. James D. Brown
Retired Presbyterian Minister, Santa Fe
Rev. Harry W. Eberts
Pastor, First Presbyterian Church, Santa Fe
Fr. Warren J. Broussard, SJ
Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Albuquerque
Don Conklin, Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary
Pastoral Associate for Administration & Ministry