Trump Orders End To Biden Methane Rules At Texas Rally

President Donald Trump said Tuesday he is ending methane regulations the Biden administration put in place in 2024 for oil and gas producers. He made the announcement at a midterm rally in Texas. "Tonight, I'm officially terminating Biden's expensive and unnecessary methane regulations to save consumers and energy producers," Trump said. He did not provide further details.

The Environmental Protection Agency had previewed the plan earlier this month, saying it would loosen requirements around methane leaks at lower-production wells. Those stripper wells supply about 7% to 8% of U.S. natural gas. Research indicates they may account for roughly half of the methane escaping into the atmosphere. The National Stripper Well Association wrote in a letter last month that compliance costs "will make the wells uneconomical to operate." The EPA also plans to end its Super Emitter Program, which allowed third parties to report leaks using satellites or thermal cameras. The administration paused that program last year.

Methane is the main component of natural gas. Scientists consider it about 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide over 20 years, and it contributes to roughly one-third of global warming. The gas breaks down faster in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide. The Biden administration treated leaks from production sites as a quick way to lower emissions. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said Americans "must be able to afford to heat their homes in the winter and fill up their car and drive to work." The announcement came one week before the midterm elections.

Health and environmental groups opposed the plan. Liz Scott of the American Lung Association said a rollback would increase pollution from volatile organic compounds released with methane. "The pollution that's released alongside methane carries immediate health harms, particularly for communities living near oil and gas sites," she said. David Doniger of the Natural Resources Defense Council called methane leaks one of the "dumbest" forms of pollution because companies lose the product they sell.

The changes require an EPA rulemaking process that includes a public comment period. Any final rule could face legal challenges from a coalition of environmental groups that includes the NRDC. Doniger said, "I would expect it to be another lawsuit." The EPA repealed emissions rules for vehicles in February and announced last month plans to loosen limits on coal- and gas-fired power plants. Copernicus reported that last year was the third-hottest in modern history.

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