Opposition to stopping natural gas waste on the wrong side

Chris Saeger is the director of the Western Values Project. Every year, oil and gas companies waste enough natural gas on public lands through venting, flaring, and leaks to fill the needs of a major American city like Albuquerque for years: They literally burn perfectly good natural gas into the atmosphere without paying a royalty […]

Opposition to stopping natural gas waste on the wrong side

Chris Saeger is the director of the Western Values Project.

Every year, oil and gas companies waste enough natural gas on public lands through venting, flaring, and leaks to fill the needs of a major American city like Albuquerque for years: They literally burn perfectly good natural gas into the atmosphere without paying a royalty on a resource that could be sold on the open market, where it could heat homes and create jobs.  The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) recently put forward a rule to combat this wasteful practice and make sure the American people get an honest return on this public resource.

methane flaring oil gas
Photo Credit: WildEarthGuardians cc

Now that the dust has settled from the recent public hearings in New Mexico and throughout the West on this issue, we have the opportunity to take a closer look at some of the industry arguments for why they oppose being accountable for wasting a resource owned by all American taxpayers.

First of all, keep in mind that despite the hearing being held in the industry stronghold of Farmington and the local oil and gas companies’ efforts to bus in supporters, positive comments supporting the BLM’s sensible rules actually outweighed opposition by about two to one. However, at the front of the opposition line at the Farmington hearing was the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association (NMOGA). It is interesting to note then that NMOGA is led by the former District Manager of the BLM’s Farmington District Office.

The main thrust of NMOGA’s arguments was that the BLM’s efforts to curtail methane waste are unnecessary and overly burdensome on industry. While these arguments are wrong on the facts, since business consulting firms have found that cutting methane waste is among the best deals in the oil and gas industry and will provide them with more product to sell, they do raise the interesting question of how credible a messenger NMOGA’s president is on this issue.

According to federal investigators, Steve Henke accepted gifts during his tenure at the BLM from Williams Exploration and Production (Williams E&P)—a leading industry group and one of the top five producers of oil and gas in the San Juan Basin. Henke got gifts such as PGA Championship tickets, lodging accommodations, meals, and financial contributions from Williams E&P. During this time, and in his official capacity as Farmington district manager, Mr. Henke also approved over 3,500 oil and gas drilling permits for Williams E&P. His cozy relationship with industry, in his position at BLM, undermined public trust and blurred the line between his duties as a public servant and his investment in, and dealings with, private industry.

In 2009, the Department of Interior Inspector General published a report  detailing various ethics violations committed by Mr. Henke. These violations were first brought to the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico, who declined to prosecute, and eventually attracted criticism from a government watchdog, environmental groups, and even Republicans in Congress.

Additionally, Mr. Henke managed to run one of the worst-managed BLM field offices in the nation according to the Government Accountability Office (GAO).  In their 2009 report, GOA found that the Farmington field office, under Mr. Henke’s leadership, had acted illegally by not fully assessing site-specific environmental impacts and approved individual projects without carrying out site-specific analysis. In short, Henke played a shell game and did an end run around doing any sort of meaningful environmental review for drilling permits.

Mr. Henke’s repeated failures as a district manager led to the grim situation we now face in the San Juan Basin. In fact, the GAO laid the air pollution issues we have now in the San Juan Basin right at the doorstep of Henke’s office:

“According to the Environmental Protection Agency and others, ozone levels around at least three field offices—Farmington, New Mexico; Pinedale, Wyoming; and Vernal, Utah—have reached or exceeded allowable levels, in part because of the release of nitrogen oxides from additional wells approved with section 390 categorical exclusions.”

Through his time as at the BLM Mr. Henke lived quite the high life. Tickets to fancy golf tournaments. Luxurious hotels. Decadent dinners. All while he was supposed to be serving the public trust by overseeing the responsible development of our oil and gas from the San Juan Basin. Talk about a waste of public resources.

However, none of that attention or those errors kept Henke from cashing in—once the Inspector General showed BLM a report detailing how Mr. Henke violated federal ethics laws, his service was up. Then, he walked right through the revolving door from government bureaucrat to industry lobbyist.

Mr. Henke left the BLM under a cloud – both an ethical one and a literal one of methane from the Four Corners hotspot. But now he makes $250,000 a year as President of NMOGA, New Mexico’s primary oil and gas industry group that represents 300 oil and gas companies, many of which have significant financial interests in federal oil and gas policy.

The current head lobbyist of NMOGA violated federal ethics laws and regulations while at BLM by soliciting and accepting gifts from the industry he was supposed to regulate.  This conduct, at the very least, raises serious questions about NMOGA’s credibility on a BLM rule that is sensibly designed to better protect taxpayers and their resources by curbing natural gas waste on public lands.

We're ad free

That means that we rely on support from readers like you. Help us keep reporting on the most important New Mexico Stories by donating today.

Related

Emily’s List endorses seven candidates for Legislature

Emily’s List endorses seven candidates for Legislature

Emily’s List, a nonprofit that supports women candidates and reproductive rights, endorsed seven incumbents facing general election opponents in New Mexico legislative elections. All…
Equality New Mexico endorses 15 legislative candidates

Equality New Mexico endorses 15 legislative candidates

A New Mexico-based LGBTQ rights organization endorsed 15 candidates for state House and Senate seats for the 2024 elections.  Marshall Martinez, executive director of…
Lujan Grisham pocket vetoes two bills

Lujan Grisham pocket vetoes two bills

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham pocket vetoed two bills the legislature passed this legislative session: one changing the Cybersecurity Act and the other concerning law…
BLM announces final methane waste rule

BLM announces final methane waste rule

The federal Bureau of Land Management announced its final methane waste rule on Wednesday. These new regulations clamp down on the practice of venting…
What consumers, farmers should know about the flu impacting dairy cows

What consumers, farmers should know about the flu impacting dairy cows

Migrating birds appear to have caused a virus in dairy cattle that is causing reduced milk production. So far, the disease, which initially started…
Republicans seek to limit national monument designations

Republicans seek to limit national monument designations

Republican-backed legislation in the U.S. Congress would make it harder for the government to designate new national monuments. The proposed Congressional Oversight of the…
Amid new graduation requirements, what do high schoolers want to learn?

Amid new graduation requirements, what do high schoolers want to learn?

By Margaret O’Hara, The Santa Fe New Mexican The main things that bring Brayan Chavez to school every day: Seeing, talking to and engaging with…
Special ed teachers hope lawmakers OK pay raises, admin changes

Special ed teachers hope lawmakers OK pay raises, admin changes

By Margaret O’Hara, The Santa Fe New Mexican Brittany Behenna Griffith has a laundry list of adjectives to describe the ideal special education teacher:…
Lawmakers must find consensus on competing education spending plans

Lawmakers must find consensus on competing education spending plans

By Margaret O’Hara, The Santa Fe New Mexican A challenging task awaits New Mexico lawmakers in the next 30 days: Reconciling three very different…
Health workers fear it’s profits before protection as CDC revisits airborne transmission

Health workers fear it’s profits before protection as CDC revisits airborne transmission

Amy Maxmen, KFF Health News Four years after hospitals in New York City overflowed with covid-19 patients, emergency physician Sonya Stokes remains shaken by…
Lujan Grisham, Biden admin announce $10 million in federal funds for tribes, pueblos

Lujan Grisham, Biden admin announce $10 million in federal funds for tribes, pueblos

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced Friday $10 million in funding from the federal American Rescue Plan Act was awarded to six tribal nations and…
Proposal to curb executive powers moves to House Judiciary

Proposal to curb executive powers moves to House Judiciary

The House Government, Elections and Indian Affairs Committee discussed a potential constitutional amendment that seeks to limit the governor’s executive powers. The committee approved…
U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

The U.S. Supreme Court heard the case about the regulations around mifepristone, one of a two-step regime for abortion medication, on Tuesday. FDA v.…
At stake in mifepristone case: Abortion, FDA’s authority, and return to 1873 obscenity law

At stake in mifepristone case: Abortion, FDA’s authority, and return to 1873 obscenity law

Lawyers from the conservative Christian group that won the case to overturn Roe v. Wade are returning to the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday in pursuit…
Supreme Court to hear two abortion cases this spring

Supreme Court to hear two abortion cases this spring

Later this month, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on the case against the abortion medication mifepristone. It will hear a second…
New Mexico Medicaid to cover cost of over-the-counter oral contraception

New Mexico Medicaid to cover cost of over-the-counter oral contraception

New Mexico Medicaid announced on Wednesday that it will cover the cost of Opill, the first oral contraception approved for over-the-counter use. It is…
U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

The U.S. Supreme Court heard the case about the regulations around mifepristone, one of a two-step regime for abortion medication, on Tuesday. FDA v.…
At stake in mifepristone case: Abortion, FDA’s authority, and return to 1873 obscenity law

At stake in mifepristone case: Abortion, FDA’s authority, and return to 1873 obscenity law

Lawyers from the conservative Christian group that won the case to overturn Roe v. Wade are returning to the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday in pursuit…
San Juan County, Navajo Nation settle redistricting case

San Juan County, Navajo Nation settle redistricting case

The Navajo Nation and San Juan County reached an agreement Monday about commission districts after the tribe alleged that its members were not adequately…
MIT ranks NM elections most well-run in the U.S.

MIT ranks NM elections most well-run in the U.S.

New Mexico’s 2022 election was ranked most well-run in the country by Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Election Data and Science Lab’s Elections Performance Index.…
Emily’s List endorses seven candidates for Legislature

Emily’s List endorses seven candidates for Legislature

Emily’s List, a nonprofit that supports women candidates and reproductive rights, endorsed seven incumbents facing general election opponents in New Mexico legislative elections. All…
BLM announces final methane waste rule

BLM announces final methane waste rule

The federal Bureau of Land Management announced its final methane waste rule on Wednesday. These new regulations clamp down on the practice of venting…
U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

The U.S. Supreme Court heard the case about the regulations around mifepristone, one of a two-step regime for abortion medication, on Tuesday. FDA v.…
What consumers, farmers should know about the flu impacting dairy cows

What consumers, farmers should know about the flu impacting dairy cows

Migrating birds appear to have caused a virus in dairy cattle that is causing reduced milk production. So far, the disease, which initially started…

GET INVOLVED

© 2023 New Mexico Political Report