BURLINGTON, Vt., Aug. 16 – U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) issued the following statement Tuesday after a study released by NASA confirmed that the largest concentration of atmospheric methane in the United States – located in the Four Corners region of the Southwest – is directly related to leaks from fossil fuel extraction, processing and distribution:

“NASA’s finding that the fossil fuel industry is responsible for the massive buildup of methane in the Southwest further proves that we must aggressively transition away from fossil fuels toward energy efficiency and renewable sources of power.

“The threat of methane emissions generated by the oil and gas industry presents a profound danger to our planet. Methane traps more than 86 times the heat of carbon dioxide. If we are serious about clean air, if we are serious about protecting the health of our children and families and if we are serious about combating climate change, we need to keep fossil fuels in the ground.”