DStalking aily Lobo cases new mexico
The Independent Student Voice of UNM since 1895
dailylobo.com
Monday, November 15, 2021 | Vo l u m e 1 2 6 | I s s u e 1 4
EPA seeks to expand increase at UNM regulations on methane By Rebecca Hobart @rjhobart
John Scott / Daily Lobo / @JScott050901
Reports of stalking made by residents living at UNM’s student housing increased by 33% from 2019 to 2020.
By Annya Loya @annyaloya Reports of stalking made by residents living at the University of New Mexico’s student housing increased by 33% last year, from 9 cases in 2019 to 12 cases in 2020, even though fewer students were
on campus. The rise takes place as stalking has become more virtual, experts said. “A lot of this is a virtual type of stalking where people are being threatened or followed through email communication, text messages or as far as a tracking device on someone's car,” said Matt Suazo, compliance and clery
coordinator of UNM’s Office of Compliance, Ethics and Equal Opportunity. “There’s this sense of anonymity where people are able to engage in this behavior where they’re not able to be identified or confronted.” The total number of stalk-
see
Stalking page 2
The Environmental Protection Agency released guidance for tightening methane regulations in early November, proposing a series of protections to mitigate the impacts of the oil and natural gas industry nationwide. This comes due to methane’s critical role in advancing the warming of the atmosphere, with emissions having the potential to trap about 80 times as much heat as carbon dioxide in the first 20 years following the initial emissions’ release. To cut down on the methane waste products associated with oil and gas drilling, the EPA seeks to codify actions that would force states to fix leaking production wells and eliminate venting of natural gas for new and existing sites, according to the agency. “The section of the Clean Air Act that the EPA is using — Sec-
tion 111D — requires the EPA to establish these emissions guidelines,” said Gabe Pacyniak, University of New Mexico associate professor of law. “States can choose to either set their own standards which meet the federal minimums or … the EPA has the authority to … set its own federal standards if a state declines to set acceptable standards.” The EPA’s announcement came in conjunction with the Global Methane Pledge initiative, a global pact aimed at reducing methane emissions by 30% by the year 2030. The pledge, which the White House said was the “single most effective strategy to reduce global warming,” was spearheaded by the United States and European Union and launched at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26). “These regulations would significantly reduce methane emissions from oil and gas
see
EPA page 2
Infrastructure bill makes investments in local climate, water infrastructure By Rebecca Hobart @rjhobart President Joe Biden’s $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill was approved by the U.S. Congress in early November. The bipartisan bill, H.R. 3684, is climate-focused and uses a dynamic approach to dispersing funding, with money going to highways, wildfires, electric buses, water and other related projects. New Mexico’s apportionment of the bill is $3.7 billion, which seeks to invest in and address vulnerabilities of the state’s water, highway and bridge infrastructure, among other key ventures. University of New Mexico professor Claude Morelli, scholar of transportation planning and policy at UNM, said the largest cut of New Mexico’s share, $2.5
billion, is going toward highway development. $255 million in the infrastructure package will also address bridge needs across the state as super storms have undermined bridge foundations, causing the collapse of bridges and necessitating more maintenance, according to Morelli. Ben Warner, UNM assistant professor of geography and environmental studies, said the apportionment of funding in the bill is relatively climate-centric compared to past infrastructure bills, including a priority for addressing wildfires and expanding electric vehicle infrastructure. Morelli said intense floods are happening more often due to climate change and threats to road infrastructure are compounded by forest fires, like the 2011 Las
see Infrastructure page 2
John Scott / Daily Lobo / @JScott050901
A photo of the Rio Grande near the Alameda Open Space.