EPA Proposes Ending Federal Methane Leak Rules

The Environmental Protection Agency proposed ending federal rules that require oil and gas companies to fix methane leaks on Tuesday. The move eliminates the first nationwide standard for limiting emissions from existing facilities. Agency officials said the change would cut costs for businesses and consumers while increasing domestic energy production.

President Donald Trump announced the decision during a campaign rally in Lubbock, Texas. He stated that the administration was terminating regulations he described as expensive and unnecessary. Trump claimed the action would save $45 billion and unlock 210 million barrels of oil. That volume equals roughly 10 days of United States petroleum consumption.

The 2024 rule required operators to reduce leaking, flaring, and venting of methane and volatile organic compounds. It also mandated a program for investigating major leaks detected by third-party remote sensing technology. An earlier rule from 2016 only applied to new or modified sources, leaving older facilities largely unregulated under federal standards.

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin praised the move in a press release. He described the revision as ending a war on oil and natural gas. The agency estimates the proposal will save $45 billion in costs. It also projects the release of 1.41 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.

Industry groups lobbied the agency extensively during the first year of the current administration. Fieldnotes, an oil and gas watchdog, obtained records showing at least 38 meetings between industry representatives and EPA staff. These included calendar events, presentation slides, and meeting request forms.

Julia Kane, a researcher for Fieldnotes, said the EPA was giving corporations what they wanted. She noted that the industry often acts as a good-faith partner but works behind the scenes to delay or weaken regulations. Industry executives expressed surprise at the level of access they received from agency staff.

Lee Fuller, an executive at the Independent Petroleum Association of America, described a recent conference call with EPA staff. He said the agency was suddenly willing to discuss issues the industry had raised for years. Fuller called the meeting one of the more fascinating discussions the group had ever had.

The proposal aims to encourage more domestic drilling. Trump has faced criticism over high fuel prices linked to the United States war in Iran. In April, Continental Resources wrote to the EPA to oppose measures that prohibit routine flaring of associated gas. The company’s founder, Harold Hamm, attended a Trump rally in Corpus Christi on Tuesday.

The United States emitted more methane from its oil and gas sector than any other country last year. Methane accounts for at least a quarter of current global warming. Since the EPA announced it would no longer enforce oil and gas regulations in March 2025, operators have leaked, vented, or flared $7 billion worth of natural gas, according to the Environmental Defense Fund.

Rosalie Winn, senior director at the Environmental Defense Fund, said the administration is curbing federal power to address climate pollution. She argued that the move allows top polluters to make more money while wasting energy. The agency has not yet stated when the final rule will be implemented.