US President Donald Trump has announced plans to end federal rules aimed at cutting methane emissions from oil and gas producers. The move has sparked criticism from environmental groups, which warn that weaker controls could increase air pollution and worsen climate change.
Trump announced the plan at a campaign rally in Texas on Tuesday. His administration wants to roll back regulations approved by former President Joe Biden in 2024.
“Tonight, I’m officially terminating Biden’s expensive and unnecessary methane regulations to save consumers and energy producers,” Trump said.
He argued that the rules placed too much pressure on small oil and gas companies. He also said the regulations increased costs for energy producers and consumers.
Trump did not provide full details of the planned changes. However, the Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, outlined parts of the proposal earlier this month. The changes would ease controls on methane leaks from lower-producing oil wells.
The announcement comes just one week before the US midterm elections. Polls suggest that high fuel prices and the cost of living remain major concerns for many voters.
The administration says its plan will reduce costs for energy producers. Critics say it could weaken protections for people who live near oil and gas sites.
Methane rules face major changes
Methane is the main part of natural gas. It is also a powerful greenhouse gas that traps heat in the atmosphere.
Scientists estimate that methane can have about 80 times the warming effect of carbon dioxide over a 20-year period. However, methane stays in the atmosphere for less time than carbon dioxide.
The gas comes from both natural sources, such as wetlands, and human activities. Oil and gas production is one major source of methane emissions. Scientists estimate that methane is responsible for about one-third of global warming.
The Biden administration saw leaks from oil and gas sites as a way to cut emissions in a short time. Its 2024 rules aimed to make producers find and reduce leaks from wells and other equipment.
Trump’s proposed rollback would ease some of those requirements. One focus is on low-producing oil wells, often called stripper wells. These sites produce only small amounts of oil, and many are close to the end of their working lives.
Research suggests these wells account for about 7% to 8% of US natural gas production. Yet they may be responsible for around half of the methane that leaks into the atmosphere.
The National Stripper Well Association has supported changes to the rules. In a letter last month, the group argued that the cost of meeting the requirements could make some wells too expensive to operate.
EPA defends plan to lower costs
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has defended the planned changes as a way to reduce the burden on energy companies.
He said Americans need to be able to afford home heating and fuel for their cars. In his view, unnecessary rules raise costs for the businesses that supply energy.
The administration has also proposed ending the EPA’s Super Emitter Program. The program was designed to help outside groups report large methane leaks from oil and gas operations.
Methane leaks are often hard to see without special tools. Satellites and thermal imaging cameras can help detect gas escaping from wells, pipelines and other equipment.
The Trump administration paused the program last year and now wants to end it. Environmental groups say the change would make it harder to find major leaks and hold companies accountable.
The rollback is not yet final. The EPA must follow a formal rulemaking process, including a public comment period, before the changes can take effect.
Legal challenges are also possible once a final rule is issued. Environmental groups, including the Natural Resources Defense Council, have signaled that they may challenge the changes in court.
Environmental groups warn of health risks
Critics say weaker methane rules could raise greenhouse gas emissions and increase pollution near oil and gas sites.
Liz Scott, a senior director of national advocacy at the American Lung Association, said methane leaks often occur alongside other harmful pollutants.
She warned that rolling back controls on methane could also reduce protection from volatile organic compounds. These chemicals can harm air quality and pose health risks, especially for people who live near production sites.
David Doniger, a senior attorney at the Natural Resources Defense Council, also criticized the plan. He argued that companies could earn more money by capturing gas that would otherwise leak into the air.
Doniger said he expected the proposed changes to face another legal challenge. Any lawsuit would depend on the final rule and the legal arguments made by the groups involved.
Part of a wider climate policy shift
The methane plan is part of Trump’s broader effort to remove rules designed to limit greenhouse gas emissions.
His administration has moved to repeal vehicle emissions rules and has announced plans to loosen limits on pollution from coal- and gas-fired power plants. It has also challenged the legal finding that greenhouse gases threaten public health and welfare.
Zeldin has presented the administration’s approach as a sharp break from earlier climate policies.
The changes come as global temperatures continue to rise. Data from the European Union’s Copernicus climate service show that the past 11 years were the warmest on record. The contiguous United States also recorded its hottest June-to-August period last year, according to the figures cited in the source report.
The final impact of the methane rollback will depend on the rules adopted and how they are enforced. For now, the proposal has set up another fight between the administration and environmental groups over energy costs, public health and climate policy.
