methane waste prevention rule

[boxofdelights]

I think Cory Gardner might give us an environmental victory! It is a very small victory, but I will take it!

The CRA says that Congress has 60 legislative days to repeal regulations that were passed under a previous president. The Senate has been in session 36 days so far this Congress. I don't know how many legislative days elapsed for the BLM's Methane Waste Prevention rule under the previous Congress, but the 60 days might run out without the repeal coming to a vote in the Senate, because two Republican senators have spoken against it and three more seem to be on the fence.

From http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/articles/blms-methane-rule-awaits-senate-verdict-key-vote-b
Gardner told The Daily Sentinel last week he’s still weighing whether to vote to repeal the measure. “I think it’s just a matter of looking into it and making sure I’m hearing all sides of this,” he said. “… I’m hearing a lot of passionate voices on both sides.”

( He is certainly hearing my passionate voice! I'm sure he'd like to hear yours too, at (202) 224-5941 )

From http://www.natlawreview.com/article/resolution-repealing-blm-s-planning-20-rule-sent-to-president-vote-rescinding
Senate Republicans are having less luck securing enough votes to pass another CRA resolution, H. J. Res. 36, which would rescind the Bureau of Land Management’s Waste Prevention, Production Subject to Royalties, and Resource Conservation rule. The joint resolution was passed by the House on February 3 by a vote of 221-191. The rule, which was also finalized under the Obama Administration, intends to reduce waste of natural gas from venting, flaring, and leaks during oil and natural gas production activities on onshore federal and Indian leases.

The resolution was originally anticipated to pass the Senate mid-February, but has since received opposition from some Republican Senators over concerns that a CRA path for repealing this rule will prevent BLM from enacting a rule that is “substantially the same” in the future. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) have both spoken in opposition of taking a CRA path to rescinding the rule, while Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Cory Gardner (R-CO), and Rob Portman (R-OH) reportedly remain undecided on how they will vote.