California AG and New Mexico AG Filed Lawsuit Challenging BLM’s Repeal of Methane Waste Prevention Rule

SEPTEMBER 18, 2018

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra and New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas filed a lawsuit against the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) challenging the bureau’s decision to repeal the Obama-era Methane Waste Prevention Rule. In their lawsuit, the attorneys general called the Methane Waste Prevention Rule “a commonsense measure” that would “reduce the enormous waste of natural gas on public lands that results from venting, flaring, and equipment leaks.” The AGs also noted that BLM’s rollback of the rule comes in the wake of its attempt to “illegally delay and suspend its implementation.”