Trump Announces End of Biden-Era Methane Rule at Lubbock Rally, Citing $45 Billion in Savings; Environmental Groups Object
The president made the announcement while campaigning for Ken Paxton in Texas. He says it saves $45 billion and unlocks 210 million barrels of oil. The Environmental Defense Fund says the EPA should be fighting waste, not enabling it.
President Trump said Tuesday night that his administration is ending a Biden-era rule on methane emissions from oil and gas drilling, Fox Business reports.
The announcement. Trump made the move known at a campaign rally in Lubbock, Texas, for Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton. "Tonight, I'm officially terminating Biden's expensive and unnecessary methane regulations to save consumers and energy producers $45 billion in costs, unlock vast quantities of Texas natural gas, and produce 210 million barrels of oil," he said. He added, "We've been working on this for a long time."
The context. Fox Business ties the rollback to Trump's push for more domestic energy production amid high fuel prices and the U.S. war with Iran. Methane is the main component of natural gas, and oil and gas operations are the largest industrial source of methane emissions, according to The Associated Press.
The EPA's earlier steps. Administrator Lee Zeldin said last month that the agency would end its Super Emitter Program, which requires companies to find and fix major methane leaks, and would loosen rules for smaller oil and gas wells. "The Trump EPA is committed to fixing this so the U.S. can reach its full energy potential," Zeldin said then.
The pushback. Environmental groups say the rollback will increase pollution. Environmental Defense Fund President Fred Krupp said, "EPA should be fighting this waste, not making it easier."
Note for readers: the $45 billion and 210 million barrel figures are the president's own, stated at a rally. Fox's report does not say what formal rulemaking step comes next or when the change takes effect.