[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 6]
[Senate]
[Page 7695]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  CONGRESSIONAL REVIEW ACT RESOLUTION

  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. President, I oppose this blatant giveaway to the 
oil and gas industry at the expense of public health and the 
environment. We are now at the eleventh hour of expedited consideration 
of resolutions to overturn Obama-era rules, and the majority is 
bringing forward this legislation to overturn a Bureau of Land 
Management rule on methane waste.
  The BLM methane rule is a reasonable, achievable way to limit 
emissions of methane--a particularly potent greenhouse gas--and save 
taxpayer money. The rule would prevent the oil and gas industry from 
excessive venting and flaring of methane into the air and ensure that 
they work more quickly to address methane leaks. As we have seen in 
Colorado, which has a similar rule, the technology to meet these 
requirements exists and is not prohibitively expensive.
  The BLM rule is a tremendously effective way to address greenhouse 
gases. Simply limiting these methane emissions would be the equivalent 
of taking nearly 1 million cars off the roads. Reducing methane leaks 
also prevents the leak of volatile organic compounds and other 
pollutants that contribute to ground-level ozone and damage public 
health.
  By overturning this rule, the Senate would not just have given the 
oil and gas industry the green light to keep polluting, it would 
essentially be paying them to do it. Right now, companies don't pay 
royalties on wasted gas from public lands. If we allow them to continue 
their inefficient practices, they will avoid more than $800 million in 
royalties over the next decade. Because States where operations are 
located get a large share of the royalties, western States like 
Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, and Montana would lose out on millions of 
dollars. Oil and gas companies will be taking public resources, 
wastefully venting them into the atmosphere, and avoiding any cost for 
that behavior.
  Stakeholders like sportsmen, conservationists, tribal leaders, and 
consumer groups support the methane rule. The only voices asking for 
its repeal are the oil and gas industry and the Koch brothers. We 
should stand for our constituents and taxpayers instead.

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