ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico has reached a record settlement with a Texas-based company over air pollution violations at natural gas gathering sites in the Permian Basin.
The $24.5 million agreement with Ameredev announced Monday is the largest settlement the state Environment Department has ever reached for a civil oil and gas violation. It stems from the flaring of billions of cubic feet of natural gas that the company had extracted over an 18-month period but wasn’t able to transport to downstream processors.
Environment Secretary James Kenney said in an interview that the flared gas would have been enough to have supplied nearly 17,000 homes for a year.
“It’s completely the opposite of the way it’s supposed to work,” Kenney said. “Had they not wasted New Mexico’s resources, they could have put that gas to use.”
The flaring, or burning off of the gas, resulted in more than 7.6 million pounds of excess emissions that included hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and other gases that state regulators said are known to cause respiratory issues and contribute to climate change.
Storms damage homes in Oklahoma and Kansas. But in Houston, most power is restored
Burnley routs Sheffield United to boost survival chances. Luton sunk by Brentford
Police to review claims Tory MP Mark Menzies allegedly misused £14,000 of party funds
Target to lower prices on basic goods in response to inflation
Trump picks up more national delegates as the only choice for Wyoming Republicans
Avs forward Jonathan Drouin out with lower
Yvette Fielding says her Most Haunted co
2 Japanese navy helicopters carrying 8 crew believed crashed in Pacific, Defense Ministry says