By: Jennifer Cantley, Nevada state coordinator, Moms Clean Air Force
Date: January 12, 2023
About: Environmental Protection Agency Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2021-0317
To: Environmental Protection Agency
Good evening. My name is Jenn Cantley, and I am a Nevada state coordinator for Moms Clean Air Force based in Carson City, Nevada. I'm here as a mother of three boys in support of this methane rule, and ask EPA to strengthen the final rule. This is important to me as I see that our generation is the first one to truly feel the impacts of climate change, and it’s only going to get worse if we don't take action. We are the ones responsible for protecting our planet and, in turn, protecting the seven generations after us.
Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas that contributes directly to the impacts of climate change, including higher temperatures, more intense storms, and lost habitats. Here in Nevada, we experience climate change as increasingly intense wildfires too. The oil and gas operations that leak methane also leak other toxic air pollutants that can cause serious health problems, such as heart and lung diseases and asthma attacks. I’m especially aware of this, because I have asthma and COPD and two out of my three children developed asthma within the first three years of their lives, as well.
Nevada has dangerously high levels of methane, ranking third in the country for emissions, due to industrial activities and natural sources. One of the reasons methane pollution is top of mind for me is that Nevada is home to a growing lithium mining industry. Lithium mining requires opening oil and gas wells, which we know leak methane. Given the health impacts my community is already experiencing due to the oil and gas industry and climate change, more lithium mining and more methane leaks scares me.
Methane leaks from the oil and gas and mining industries are directly impacting my family and my community’s health, both because of toxic air pollution from California and because of the devastating impacts of climate change. I support EPA’s proposed methane rule and would like to see the strongest final rule possible. The final rule should include strict methane emission limits, as well as monitoring requirements, for all sources and infrastructure. We must put people first in the creation of any new rule and ensure that the communities most affected by these decisions have the necessary support and resources to deal with the impacts. Thank you for your time.
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