Trump Says Government Will 'Terminate' Biden-Era Methane Emissions Rules
US President Donald Trump announced at a Texas rally that rules requiring oil and gas companies to curb methane leaks are being scrapped. Environmental groups have criticized the move.
US President Donald Trump said at a campaign rally in Lubbock, Texas, on Tuesday evening that his administration is "terminating" regulations from the Biden era that held oil and gas companies accountable for large leaks of methane, a greenhouse gas that drives global warming. The move is meant to encourage more domestic drilling as Trump faces criticism over high fuel prices linked to the US war in Iran.
Trump said the change would save consumers and energy producers $45bn and free up 210 million barrels of oil, roughly equal to 10 days of US petroleum consumption. Lee Zeldin, administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), said the agency is revising oil and natural gas rules under the Clean Air Act. According to the EPA, the proposal would also yield an estimated 1.41tn cubic feet of natural gas.
What the 2024 rule required
The rule required oil and gas operators to eliminate and minimize leaking, flaring and venting of methane and volatile organic compounds. It was the first time the federal government had set nationwide requirements to limit methane emissions from existing oil and gas facilities; a 2016 rule under the Obama administration covered only new and modified sources. Companies also had to investigate major leaks detected by third parties using EPA-approved remote sensing technology.
Last year the US emitted more methane from its oil and gas sector than any other country. Methane is responsible for at least a quarter of today's warming.
Industry access and criticism
Julia Kane, a researcher at the oil and gas watchdog Fieldnotes, said the industry works behind the scenes to delay and weaken regulations. Records obtained by the group show industry groups and companies met EPA officials at least 38 times in the current administration's first year to discuss methane rules.
The Environmental Defense Fund calculates that since the EPA said in March 2025 it would stop enforcing oil and gas regulations, operators have leaked, vented or flared $7bn worth of natural gas. Rosalie Winn, the fund's senior director and lead counsel, said the administration is seeking to curtail the federal government's ability to address climate pollution.
