"[D]ismantling the rule is a shortsighted and overly aggressive approach that would waste hundreds of millions of dollars in taxpayer-owned natural gas resources each year — particularly New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming — risk public health, enrich entrenched corporations and yet stifle new industry growth," the letter said.
On Friday, the US House of Representatives approved a resolution to undo the rule, which was passed as a part of former President Barack Obama's climate action plan. The rule was intended to protect the environment from wasteful release of chemicals from oil and gas operations on US federal and tribal lands.
The Democratic senators argued that the CRA is an "improper and radical" strategy to deal with particular issues regarding the regulation.
The rule could help to save nearly $330 million per year by limiting the waste of natural gas produced on public and Indian lands, the Democratic senators alleged.
The US Interior Department announced the rule, initially named the Methane and Waste Prevention Rule, in November of 2016.
