HomeMy WebLinkAbout12.22.21 Hickenlooper Ltr Crystal Valley Fugitive Methane FINAL
December 22, 2021
Senator John Hickenlooper
354 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
E-mail: john.hickenlooper@hickenlooper..senate.gov
Dear Senator Hickenlooper,
Thank you for your leadership on climate issues affecting the State of Colorado, including
specifically your leadership on the issue of coal mine methane emissions. As you’re aware,
fugitive methane emissions from coal mines contribute substantially to the State’s
greenhouse gas emissions, having a larger annual global warming impact than that of
hundreds of thousands of passenger vehicles. Mitigating these emissions is critical to
address a significant source of climate pollution while contributing to the greenhouse gas
management economy and the sustainable future of western Colorado communities.
We’re grateful for your efforts to enable coal mine methane destruction projects in
Colorado through provisions in the Colorado Outdoor Recreation Economy Act (CORE Act)
that would establish a pilot program within the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to
facilitate projects that would destroy coal mine methane pollution. Several such projects
have been conceived by private enterprises in Colorado, working in collaboration with local
governments and other stakeholders including the undersigned organizations. We continue
to strongly support the CORE Act and actively work toward its passage in Congress.
We are also acutely aware that the climate crisis demands immediate action on coal mine
methane emissions. We are therefore asking for your help to request that the Department
of the Interior (DOI) utilize its existing authority under Section 302 of the Federal Land
Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) to permit a coal mine methane destruction project at
the abandoned Redstone-area mines in Colorado, and to permit this project now. We
furthermore would like DOI reinitiate the waste mine methane rulemaking that was
initiated in 2014 to facilitate coal mine methane destruction activities on all federal lands.
Working together as the Crystal Valley Methane Working Group, the undersigned
organizations have prepared the attached memorandum outlining DOI’s authority to permit
a coal mine methane destruction project in Pitkin County, and a suggested path for doing so
expediently. We respectfully request that you share this memorandum with
decision-makers at DOI and BLM leadership, and urge them to move forward with an
authorization process for the project as soon as possible. The Crystal Valley Methane
Working Group is eager to work with you and our land managers to make this project a
success for our climate, our communities and our public lands.
With sincerest gratitude,
PITKIN COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Kelly McNicholas Kury, Chair
cc: Mona Newton via email
Attachment: Memo to Department of Interior