Leaders from the faith community in Colorado and across the Southwest have sent a letter to President Barack Obama and Interior Secretary Sally Jewell, thanking them for adopting new rules to limit methane waste on public and tribal lands.

A Public News Service story said the letter described the policy as in sync with church efforts to counter wasteful attitudes and behaviors that Pope Francis has called a “throwaway culture.”

Adrian Miller is executive director of the Colorado Council of Churches, one of some 25 groups to sign the letter.

“People of faith do care about God’s creation and about being better stewards of the earth,” he said. “But we also are mindful that this is an important industry, and we like this rule because we think it strikes a good balance.”

Miller said the oil and gas industry is critical for Colorado’s economy, particularly in rural areas, and said limiting waste can increase production. President-elect Donald Trump hasn’t taken a position on methane limits but has promised to roll back regulations on fossil-fuel development. Miller said he hopes the faith community’s support for the Bureau of Land Management’s rules will help convince the incoming administration to keep them in place.

Miller also noted gas lost on public lands is not processed and brought to market, so reducing waste also means more money from royalties going into tax coffers to help pay for schools, roads and other needs.

“Capturing this methane gas will also help state and local governments,” he added. “It’s a win-win for the taxpayers, it’s a win-win for those concerned about our environment and it’s also a win-win for companies because it will help them be more efficient in what they do.”

The Environmental Protection Agency has also set methane-pollution limits for new oil and gas production to improve air quality. According to an Environmental Defense Fund study, $330 million worth of gas is lost through leaks, flares and venting, enough energy to supply a city the size of Denver for a year.