On Thursday, Oct. 6 at 10 a.m., state advocates will host a press conference and rally as part of a nationwide day of action to call on President Joe Biden to take immediate action to cut methane pollution from the oil and gas industry. The event will take place at the historic Santa Rita No. 1 oil rig on the University of Texas campus in Austin and will feature speakers from environmental justice, faith, environmental, and frontline community groups.
Texas is the largest onshore producer of oil and gas in the nation.
In 2021, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed a draft rule to cut methane and other harmful pollutants from oil and gas operations across the U.S. While this was an important step in the right direction, thousands of people submitted public comments urging EPA to go further and address critical gaps in the initial proposed rule.
This week, over 12,000 people from across the country – including some 1,000 in Texas, New Mexico, Louisiana, and Arkansas – sent petitions to the US EPA and President Biden urging his administration to move swiftly and publish strong methane rules that protect our climate and the health of our communities. The event on Oct. 6 will be another strong showing of Texans urging Biden to publish the updated – and stronger – EPA methane rule as soon as possible.