On January 31 at 12:30 PM (EST), The Evangelical Environmental Network (EEN) will submit 133,242 comments from individual pro-life Christians in support of and with calls to strengthen the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed rulemaking for Existing and New Sources Standards For Reducing Methane and Toxins From the Oil/Gas Sector (Docket #EPA-HQ-OAR-2021-0317).

“This overwhelming support from our community witnesses its strong concern for defending children’s health from the threat of toxins and climate-warming methane from the oil/gas industry. Generating more support than any other group, these pro-life faithful believers attest to their strong convictions to defend human life holistically from conception to natural death,” stated the Rev. Mitch Hescox, President/C.E.O.

As pro-life evangelicals, we have a special concern for the unborn. We want children to be born healthy and unhindered by the ravages of pollution even before they take their first breath. The medical community has long known that unborn children are especially vulnerable to environmental impacts. Of these impacts, fossil fuels are the most serious threat to children’s health worldwide. Numerous medical studies show that smog, VOCs, ozone, and air toxics have a disproportionate impact on life in the womb.

We are thankful for the EPA’s proposed rules that will defend children’s health. Combined, the two standards will save $6.6 - $9.2 billion in avoided health costs and loss of life. While this indeed is good news, the proposed standards in the rule should be strengthened by incorporating the following: a ban on routine flaring, regular inspections of all wells, a quick phase-out of pneumatic operators, allowing community monitoring, and employment of the latest monitoring technology.

“We’ve waited far too long to defend our kids from these toxins,” continued Hescox.  “Let’s finalize these rules and go to work to improve the lives of so many of our children.”