Trump moves to roll back methane safeguards and revise oil and gas emissions rules

· Climate · United States

President Donald Trump announced at a rally in Texas that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency would roll back methane pollution safeguards finalized in 2024 for the oil and gas sector. The administration had already delayed implementation of those standards for more than a year. Separately, the EPA has proposed changes to Clean Air Act oil and gas emissions regulations, including provisions covering marginal wells and associated gas flaring. The two moves together signal a broad rewrite of federal oversight of emissions from oil and gas production, affecting operators across the sector and the states that enforce the rules.

Why it matters：Methane is a potent short-lived greenhouse gas, so weakening U.S. federal rules reshapes compliance costs for oil and gas producers and undercuts global efforts to curb emissions quickly.

Key points

  • The 2024 methane standards had already been delayed for over a year before the rollback announcement
  • The EPA proposal covers marginal wells and associated gas flaring under the Clean Air Act

Sources (original reporting)

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