​DENVER – Western Energy Alliance today submitted comments to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on the proposed new and existing source methane rules. Certain provisions in the proposed rules would render significant oil and natural gas facilities in the United States, particularly marginal wells, uneconomic to operate, further constraining domestic supply, increasing energy prices, and making America more dependent on oil produced overseas,
 
“We support cost-effective regulation that incentivizes innovation, rewards positive performance, and provides regulatory certainty, but EPA’s proposed rules fail on all accounts. Several provisions in the rules would be impractical to implement, technically infeasible, provide no environmental benefit, and discourage the use of innovative technologies. The so-called super-emitter program, which would outsource EPA and state regulatory authority even to community groups that lack technical expertise, is flat out unlawful,” said Kathleen Sgamma, president of the Alliance. “By EPA’s own admission, the rules will reduce American oil and natural gas production, forcing the country to become more dependent on oil produced overseas.

​DENVER – Western Energy Alliance’s president, Kathleen Sgamma, will testify at a hearing entitled­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ “Unleashing America's Energy and Mineral Potential” before the House Natural Resources Committee. Sgamma’s testimony will focus on addressing overregulation by federal agencies, delays created by excessive environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act, and corrections needed within the Inflation Reduction Act. The hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, February 8th, at 10:00 a.m. ET, and will be available on the committee’s website.
 
“We know we need more energy. The administration admitted that nearly a year ago when, after the
invasion of Ukraine, the White House tried to blame our producers for not developing on, interchangeably, 9,000 leases and/or permits,” said Sgamma. “The president says he wants more American production, but where he has the most control, on tribal and federal public lands, his Interior Department is making it more difficult to do so at every turn and with every policy decision.”