Opinion: We Have Faith. Now We Need Clean Air.

As people of faith, many of us are praying that we won't see another February of extreme winter weather and deadly power outages. From freezes to droughts to hurricanes, Texas has seen more than its fair share of climate-induced severe weather. And while storm preparation is needed, storm prevention is key. It's long past time for public officials to address climate change so that we can protect our communities from climate impacts.

One of the best tools we have right now to fight climate change is for the Environmental Protection Agency to cut methane pollution from the oil and gas industry. This potent greenhouse gas is speeding up climate change and making people sick.

The oil and gas industry releases 16 million metric tons of methane each year, which has the same near-term climate impact as 350 coal-fired power plants. The Permian Basin in West Texas accounts for 40% of U.S. oil production and 15% of its natural gas. It is our nation's worst source of methane pollution, making Texas a central player in the fight to address climate change and protect people's health.

Methane pollution is a concentrated greenhouse gas that traps significantly more heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide but lasts just a few decades. So cutting methane emissions is one of the most effective short-term tools we have.

Pollution from methane contributes to contaminated air and increased health issues like asthma attacks, especially for those living near oil and gas facilities. Methane pollution has a disproportionate impact on people of color. Studies have shown that African Americans are 75% more likely to live near toxic oil and gas facilities, increasing asthma rates in African American children. And more than 1.81 million Latinos live within one half-mile of existing oil and gas facilities.

We're running out of time. We can't afford more severe storms, worse air quality, or more droughts. We can't afford more injustice as Black, Latino, Asian, and Indigenous communities in Texas are forced to deal with the worst impacts.

The EPA, through its current proposed rule, can address some of the wasteful practices of the oil and gas industry. Specifically, standards should include leak detection and repair and address leaks on seals, pumps, and connectors. Monitoring, reporting, and verification standards also provide accurate data on methane leaks and indicating where officials need to focus.

The EPA should use this opportunity to enact strong methane pollution standards by strengthening monitoring, including at smaller, high-polluting wells. Federal officials should also address the issue of flaring and venting, which is a wasteful practice that emits a host of climate- and health-harming pollutants into the air.

Strong methane pollution standards not only will reduce climate-causing emissions and improve air quality for our communities but will also make sure we don't waste oil and gas through venting, flaring, and leaks. In a report in Science Advances, the methane that is lost into the atmosphere through flaring, venting, and leaks in the Permian Basin alone could supply power to 2 million households.

Texans from many religious backgrounds have been working to reduce their own emissions by using renewable energy and adopting energy-efficient measures. It is past time for oil and gas operators to do the same. Texas plays a key role in reducing methane pollution since the state produces the largest share of the nation's oil, a major contributor to methane emissions.

As people of faith, we believe that each human is worthy and deserving of basic needs including the need for clean air and clean water. We seek to live in a world where we are not only surviving but thriving. Addressing methane emissions through robust pollution standards is critical to achieving this vision.

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Bee Moorhead has been executive director of Texas Impact and its sister organization, the Texas Impact Foundation, since 2000. She is an ordained ruling elder in the Presbyterian Church. Under Bee’s leadership, Texas Impact has moved from fewer than 1,000 members to more than 20,000 members and earned recognition as a national leader in interfaith education and community leadership development.