Trump Admin Proposes Major Cuts to Oil and Gas Methane Rules

The Trump administration is proposing a steep reduction in regulations governing methane emissions from oil and gas operations.

The plan targets rules finalized by the Biden administration in 2023 to curb pollution from the sector. President Trump announced the revision on Tuesday during a campaign stop in Lubbock, Texas. He stated that the change, enacted under the Clean Air Act, would save the industry billions of dollars in production costs and stimulate domestic drilling.

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin described the move as a defense of the sector's workforce. "Behind every barrel of oil and every cubic foot of natural gas produced in the U.S. are millions of workers, businesses, and the heartbeat of this nation's economy. The Biden EPA destructively targeted all this," Zeldin said in a press release.

The American Petroleum Institute, which opposed the 2023 regulations, welcomed the proposal. Dustin Meyer, a vice president at the group, said the organization looks forward to working with the administration "on a more workable approach that supports American energy production, provides greater regulatory certainty and advances continued emissions reductions."

Environmental advocates argue the rollback may cost the industry money by allowing more product to escape. Jon Goldstein, an associate vice president at the Environmental Defense Fund, noted that methane is the primary component of natural gas. He said capturing the gas rather than letting it leak or flare it creates more product to sell, which offsets many compliance costs. He added that wasted gas harms energy security and deprives taxpayers of royalty and tax revenue.

The proposal seeks to eliminate the Methane Super Emitter Program, currently scheduled to begin in January 2027. This program would allow the government to contract certified third parties, including private and nonprofit satellite firms, to monitor large leaks. Paasha Mahdavi, a political science professor at UC Santa Barbara, said outside help is necessary to identify violations for prosecution. "And we need that because it's really hard to see this stuff," he said.

The plan also relaxes standards for low-volume marginal oil wells, which generate little revenue. Goldstein stated that satellites and new technology show these older wells are responsible for "the lion's share of methane pollution" from the production sector. The EPA will hold a public comment period of at least 45 days, including a hearing, after publishing the changes in the Federal Register.