Energy

EPA Wants To Scrap Biden-Era Regs That Pose ‘Monumental Threat’ To American Methane

(Official White House Photo by Erin Scott)

The Trump administration is preparing to scrap another Biden-era climate regulation, taking aim at a methane leak program that federal officials argue has burdened American oil and gas producers with billions in costs.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin announced Wednesday that the agency will soon propose eliminating the Biden administration’s “super-emitter” program, which requires oil and gas operators to investigate reports of major methane leaks detected by third parties. The announcement came during an oil and gas industry meeting in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Former President Joe Biden’s EPA finalized sweeping methane regulations in 2023, later establishing the super-emitter program as part of its 2024 oil and natural gas rules. The administration projected that the broader regulations would prevent approximately 58 million tons of methane emissions between 2024 and 2038.

“In an upcoming proposal, which is currently under review by the Office of Management and Budget, U.S. EPA will take an important step in easing regulatory burdens and unleashing the Nation’s domestic energy supply by proposing the next step in the agency’s wide-scale reconsideration of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Clean Air Act rules for the oil and natural gas industry,” an EPA spokesperson told the Daily Caller News Foundation.

 “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-era regulations posed a monumental threat,” the spokesperson continued. “As a result, Americans in every state suffered from higher energy prices. The U.S. produces energy in a better and more environmentally friendly way than anywhere else in the world.”

The EPA estimates its broader proposed changes to the Biden-era oil and gas regulations would save $45 billion, according to the Wednesday press release. The agency also argues that the super-emitter program is ineffective and unnecessary to satisfy Clean Air Act requirements.

“The Trump EPA knows our policies must match our nation’s potential and is working to unleash the full ability of American energy and lower costs for Americans by returning commonsense to regulations. The proposal will be released once it has been signed by the Administrator.”

Methane, however, has become a major target of climate activists because of its ability to trap heat in the atmosphere. NASA identifies methane as the second-largest contributor to global warming behind carbon dioxide, estimating that rising methane concentrations have accounted for 20% to 30% of Earth’s warming since the Industrial Revolution.

The gas is also considerably more potent than carbon dioxide over shorter periods. One ton of methane can trap 84 to 87 times as much heat as a ton of carbon dioxide over 20 years, according to NASA. Methane generally remains in the atmosphere for only about a decade, compared with the centuries that carbon dioxide can persist.

Methane emissions are not exclusive to fossil fuel production. Agriculture, landfills and natural wetlands also release the gas, with NASA estimating that roughly 60% of global methane emissions come from human activities.

The super-emitter program allows EPA-certified groups, including nonprofit Carbon Mapper, to use satellites, aircraft and other technologies to detect methane leaks of at least 100 kilograms per hour, according to the agency.

Operators receiving qualifying notifications must investigate the suspected leaks, report their findings and make repairs when required under applicable EPA standards.

The Trump administration previously delayed future implementation of the program until January 2027. Its latest announcement goes further, proposing to eliminate the program altogether.

The proposed rollback comes as the administration continues dismantling Biden-era environmental regulations. The EPA previously repealed greenhouse gas standards for coal- and natural gas-fired power plants, a move the agency estimated would eliminate more than $300 billion in regulatory costs, as the Daily Caller News Foundation previously reported.

“Americans must be able to afford to heat their homes in the winter and fill up their car and drive to work. They can’t do that when the people producing the energy are weighed down by unnecessary burdens,” Zeldin said in the EPA’s press release. “The Trump EPA is committed to fixing this so the U.S. can reach its full energy potential.”