Trump to terminate Biden-era methane emissions rules

Donald Trump announced his administration is terminating Biden-era regulations that held oil and gas companies accountable for methane leaks during a rally in Lubbock, Texas, on Tuesday evening.

The announcement focused on methane emissions rules for existing oil and gas facilities. The 2024 rule required operators to limit leaking, flaring and venting of methane and volatile organic compounds. It was the first federal rule to set nationwide requirements for existing oil and gas facilities. An earlier Obama-era rule applied to new and modified sources.

Trump said the change would save consumers and energy producers $45bn and unlock 210 million barrels of oil, about 10 days of US petroleum consumption. He called the Biden-era rules expensive and unnecessary.

The EPA, led by administrator Lee Zeldin, said it was revising oil and natural gas regulations under the Clean Air Act. Zeldin praised the move to end what he called the war on oil and natural gas.

The move comes as Trump faces criticism over high fuel prices linked to the US war in Iran. The administration said the proposal would save $45bn in costs and produce an estimated 210m additional barrels of oil and 1.41tn cubic ft of natural gas.

Some oil and gas executives had spoken in favor, but trade groups and corporations worked behind the scenes to weaken the rules, according to records obtained by Fieldnotes. Since the EPA announced it would no longer enforce oil and gas regulations in March 2025, operators leaked, vented or flared $7bn worth of natural gas, according to the Environmental Defense Fund.

Source: The Guardian.