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U.S. NEWS Thursday 15 November 2018

Dozens plead with Trump administration to keep air rules

By DAN ELLIOTT agency conceded that the
Associated Press rules “may also degrade air
DENVER (AP) — Dozens of quality and adversely af-
people who live near oil fect health and welfare.”
and gas wells pleaded with It said the new rules would
the Trump administration allow an additional 380,000
Wednesday not to roll back U.S. tons (350,000 met-
rules for methane pollution, ric tons) of methane and
while industry represen- 100,000 U.S. tons (91,000
tatives said the changes metric tons of volatile or-
should go further. ganic compounds into the
The Environmental Protec- atmosphere from 2019 to
tion Agency held a hearing 2025. Volatile organic com-
in Denver on the admin- pounds an ingredient of
istration’s plans to loosen ozone or smog.
regulations imposed by the The EPA wants to reduce
Obama administration in the frequency of inspec-
2016. The rules require en- tions for methane leaks
ergy companies to step up and give energy compa-
the detection and elimina- nies more time to repair
tion of methane leaks at leaks after they are de-
well sites and other oil and tected. The changes would
gas facilities. also allow an energy com-
Methane is the primary pany’s in-house engineers
component of natural gas Activists from ProgressNow Colorado, grassroots organizations and stakeholders join forces to to certify some aspects of
and also is a greenhouse demonstrate outside the United States headquarters of BP, Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2018, in Denver. methane control instead of
gas. Opponents argued Associated Press requiring an outside profes-
Wednesday that changing abetting polluters, looking ing and other health prob- sions even while natural gas sional engineer to do so.
the rules would threaten out for the wealthy and lems. production is increasing. The EPA also wants to let
people’s health, worsen cli- failing its legal duty to pro- Susanne Beug told agen- He said the EPA should do energy companies opt to
mate change and squan- tect public health and the cy officials, “The EPA is the more to allow technologi- follow state rules instead of
der natural gas by allowing environment. “Polluters do Environmental Protection cal innovation and stream- the federal rules in Califor-
leaks to go undetected. not need your protection. I Agency, not the Energy line the rules. nia, Colorado, Ohio, Penn-
They also argued it would do,” said 13-year-old Alexis Protection Agency.” When it unveiled the new, sylvania, Texas and Utah.
cost taxpayers, investors Elliott, who said emissions Matthew Todd of the Amer- looser rules in September, The EPA rules apply to oil
and mineral owners money from oil and gas wells near ican Petroleum Institute the EPA said they would and gas drilling on private
from the lost sale of the gas. her school are causing her said the industry is already save energy companies up land and some public
Many accused the EPA of nosebleeds, rashes, bruis- reducing methane emis- to $75 million a year. But the land.q

Official: Michael Avenatti in

Los Angeles police custody

By MICHAEL BALSAMO allegation of domestic vio- The official wasn’t autho-
Associated Press lence, a law enforcement rized to discuss the matter
WASHINGTON (AP) — Mi- official told The Associated publicly and spoke to The
chael Avenatti, who sky- Press. Associated Press on condi-
rocketed to fame as a Police had responded to tion of anonymity.
chief critic of President a domestic violence in- Avenatti remained in cus-
Donald Trump and the cident Tuesday and took tody Wednesday after- In this July 27, 2018, file photo Michael Avenatti, talks to the
lawyer for porn actress a report, but Avenatti noon and a call and text media during a news conference in front of the U.S. Federal
Stormy Daniels, was tak- was taken into custody message seeking com- Courthouse in Los Angeles. Avenatti is in police custody in Los
en into police custody Wednesday, the official ment weren’t immediately Angeles following domestic violence allegation.
Wednesday following an said. returned.q Associated Press