Senators: Defend our troops by defending the BLM methane waste rule

Just like we send our best men and women overseas to defend our country, we send our representatives and senators to Capitol Hill to defend our public resources. The Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) recently finalized Methane and Waste Prevention Rule aims to curb natural gas waste from oil and gas activities on public lands – saving American taxpayers millions per year. These are natural gas resources that belong to every American taxpayer and that BLM is charged with wisely managing on our behalf.

Unfortunately, some of our representatives in Congress are threatening to roll back the rule and undermine American energy security. If they are successful, the oil and gas industry would continue to waste $330 million dollars-worth of taxpayer owned natural gas on public lands annually. And even though natural gas in the federal mineral estate is owned by the American taxpayer, the BLM does not assess a royalty on natural gas that is wasted through flaring, venting, and leaks. That means that additional tens of millions of dollars in royalty revenue is lost every year – as much as $800 million over the next decade according to a one report –that would have gone to local, state, federal and tribal governments to fund infrastructure projects such as roads and bridges, hospitals, and schools.

This waste is an issue that weakens our national security and America's position on the world stage.

Just a few weeks ago, the House passed a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution that would block the methane waste rule and could prevent any "substantially similar" rule from being put in place—ever—without an act of Congress.

Four Generals, including myself, and one Admiral along more than 2,000 U.S. veterans, are taking a stand. This week, we signed a letter addressed to the Senate—urging them to defend the BLM's waste rule. We strongly believe that natural gas waste is a matter of our energy security. It is our Senators' duty to defend our natural resources and protect taxpayers—they must choose to put a stop to this waste.