The Environmental Protection Agency is advancing revisions to weaken a 2023 rule governing methane emissions across national drilling sites. Industry leaders welcomed the announcement in Texas, where President Trump argued the changes will eliminate billions in compliance costs to help counter voter frustration over high gas prices. However, experts caution that stripping away third-party detection and easing standards on marginal wells will obscure major leaks from sources responsible for the bulk of production-sector emissions. The EPA plans to initiate a public comment period of at least 45 days along with a public hearing once the measure is officially published.
Key points
The administration is scaling back federal drilling regulations to reduce domestic produc…: The administration is scaling back federal drilling regulations to reduce domestic production costs by billions of dollars.
Halting the third-party detection program will remove satellite-assisted monitoring previ…: Halting the third-party detection program will remove satellite-assisted monitoring previously designed to help federal regulators catch invisible methane leaks.
Opponents argue the plan will forfeit critical royalty revenues by allowing marketable na…: Opponents argue the plan will forfeit critical royalty revenues by allowing marketable natural gas to escape uncaptured.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
The Trump administration is proposing to dramatically scale back a Biden-era rule that aimed to cut methane emissions from the oil and gas industry at drilling sites nationwide.
Methane is a major contributor to climate change and is estimated to be 80 times more planet-warming than carbon dioxide in a twenty-year time frame. In 2023, the Biden administration finalized rules that were meant to rein in methane emissions from the oil and gas sector.
President Trump made the announcement while campaigning in Lubbock, Texas, Tuesday, saying his administration's revision, under the Clean Air Act, would save the industry billions in production costs and spur more domestic drilling. The proposal comes as Republicans face a backlash from voters over high gas prices heading into the midterms.
"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," EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said in a press release.
The oil and gas industry, which vigorously opposed the 2023 rules,…
The successful fledging of Beaky Junior on a managed grouse moor in the Moffat Hills signals a major breakthrough in regional conservation. This milestone reflects critical progress in overcoming historically tense relations between raptor advocates and sporting estates in the south of Scotland. Landowner collaboration has helped expand the area's local population to a record total of more than 50 golden eagles.
Record October water levels have submerged critical commuter routes and stranded residents across the Bay Area, prompting emergency officials to warn that hazards will extend through Halloween. Because routine spring tides drove this initial damage without major storms, scientists caution that critical regional infrastructure remains exposed to far more severe impacts later in the season. Coastal officials are also bracing for mounting economic disruptions and novel hazards like electric vehicle fires.
Emergency crews battling widespread blazes across the country experienced a welcome operational boost following a sudden shift in local weather conditions. The downpour brought a momentary reprieve to responders who have been continuously contending with active fire lines. Personnel on the ground welcomed the moisture as a crucial aid in their ongoing suppression efforts.