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U.S. gender wage gap grows for first time in a decade; Trump has embraced NC's Mark Robinson, calling him 'Martin Luther King on steroids'; Volunteers sought as early voting kicks off in MN; Women's political contributions in congressional races fall short of men's.

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Rising threats of political violence, a Federal Reserve rate cut, crypto industry campaign contributions and reproductive rights are shaping today's political landscape.

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A USDA report shows a widening gap in rural versus urban health, a North Carolina county remains divided over a LGBTQ library display, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz' policies are spotlighted after his elevation to the Democratic presidential ticket.

Report: NM Tops List for Methane Gas Pollution on Public Land

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Wednesday, June 24, 2015   

SANTA FE, N.M. - New Mexico tops the nation for the amount of methane pollution released from oil and gas drilling on federal and tribal land, according to a new report for the Environmental Defense Fund.

The study described the loss as a financial as well as environmental problem, since developers don't have to pay government royalties on the gas that escapes. In New Mexico, the report said, gas worth more than $100 million a year is being wasted.

Alexandra Merlino, assistant director of the Partnership for Responsible Business, said fixing the leaks to make energy development more efficient could be what she calls a "triple bottom-line win" for the state.

"It will improve our air. It will improve our taxpayer royalties," she said. "Right now we're losing about $12.5 million in royalties. That's huge. And it will give us good jobs - these are good, high-paying, high-skill jobs."

Colorado and Wyoming already have created rules to curb gas leaks and flaring for developers working on state-owned and private land, Merlino said, but New Mexico has not. This summer, the Bureau of Land Management plans to release new rules that encourage less waste and pollution in energy development on federal land.

The report estimated that in New Mexico alone, almost 34 billion cubic feet of natural gas escapes.

Dan Grossman, Rocky Mountain regional director for the Environmental Defense Fund, said the BLM issues notices to some developers, but hasn't updated its rules in years.

"There's a lot of discrepancy across the country with different BLM field offices in how they treat gas that's leaked or vented, or flared," he said. "One of the things that we're hoping this rule will do is bring some uniformity and predictability to that process."

In the meantime, he said, enough gas is wasted on federal and tribal land to create about two-thirds of the methane emissions in the state. Nationally, the report said, oil and gas companies waste $360 million worth of natural gas annually.

The report is online at edf.org.


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