WASHINGTON, DC (March 28, 2017) – President Donald Trump today signed an Executive Order directing federal agencies to roll back several environmental and worker protections. Included in that order was a directive to re-evaluate common sense standards finalized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last year that would limit methane emissions from new and modified sources in the oil and gas industry and that were designed to help address climate change and protect workers. Following the announcement, the BlueGreen Alliance’s Executive Director Kim Glas released the following statement:

“President Trump’s Executive Order issued today is an attack on workers, good jobs and the environment.

“Every day in oil and gas operations, workers and the communities around them are exposed to methane pollution and other dangerous toxic chemicals—including the carcinogen benzene. The standards put forward by the EPA would cut down on unnecessary methane waste and the release of toxics at a nominal cost.

“The truth is that adoption of leak reducing technologies and practices at new and modified oil and gas facilities is a good thing for workers and our economy and would create 50,000 jobs over the first decade of full implementation.

“As the EPA considers changes to these protections, they need to keep in mind that that this—and other environmental protections like fuel economy standards and cleaner energy—create jobs for working people. They also safeguard our air, protecting us from poisons like benzene, and help address the challenge of climate change.

“President Trump says he wants to create jobs for American workers. Leaving these standards in place and as-is is a surefire way to do that.”