Trump EPA finalizes 'indefensible and illegal’ delay to pollution standards

With methane more than 28 times as potent as carbon at trapping heat in the atmosphere in a 100-year period, climate experts agree that reducing methane leaks from oil and gas fields would be one of the fastest and most effective ways of making a measurable impact on planetary heating—but President Donald Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday flatly refused to do so, instead announcing a delay on a requirement for fossil fuel companies to limit methane emissions.

The Biden administration had introduced the requirement for oil and gas firms to begin reducing their emissions this year, but the EPA said companies will now have until January 2027 to comply with the rule. The administration is also considering repealing the requirement entirely.

Lauren Pagel, policy director for Earthworks, called the delay “indefensible and illegal.”

“The Trump administration has once again chosen polluters over people, sacrificing the health of communities and climate to serve the fossil fuel industry,” said Pagel. “Every day national methane rules are delayed means more methane in the air, more toxic pollution in our lungs, and more irreversible climate damage.”

The EPA claimed it was providing companies with a “more realistic timeline” for complying with the requirement, and said the action would “save an estimated $750 million over 11 years in compliance costs.”

Methane can leak from oil and gas wells, pipelines, and other fossil fuel infrastructure, and companies often intentionally release methane through flaring. The fossil fuel industry is the largest industrial source of methane emissions in the US, where emissions of methane have risen sharply in recent years as the Biden administration oversaw record production of oil and gas, even as it sought to reduce emissions through the methane requirement and other regulations.

While saving money for fossil fuel companies, the delay on the rule could lead to 3.8 million more tons of methane entering the atmosphere, according to the Trump administration’s own estimates.

“After years of scientific work and public engagement, this administration’s decision to delay methane pollution standards implementation yet again is a blatant act of climate denial and disregard for public health. The EPA’s job is to protect people, not pad the pockets of oil and gas executives,” said Pagel.

In addition to contributing to global heating and the extreme flooding, hurricanes, heatwaves, and other destructive weather events that come with it, methane emissions are linked to higher ground-level ozone pollution made up of tiny particles that can cause respiratory and cardiac problems, cancer, and strokes.

Grace Smith, senior attorney at the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), noted that the methane standards have already been working “to reduce pollution, protect people’s health, and prevent the needless waste of American energy”—progress that will now be reversed by EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin and Trump.

“The rule released today means millions of Americans will be exposed to dangerous pollution for another year and a half, for no good reason,” said Smith. “Delaying the methane standards threatens people’s health and undermines progress by industry leaders.”

“What’s more, the Trump administration rushed to push through this harmful rule without meaningful transparency or a chance for the public to weigh in,” added Smith. “EDF is already in court challenging EPA’s first attempt to delay these vital protections. We will continue to oppose the rule released today, so that people can breathe cleaner air.”

EDF and the grassroots group Moms Clean Air Force expressed particular concern over nearly 18 million people in the US who live near active oil and gas wells.

“Children in my community and across the nation need a strong and comprehensive oil and gas methane rule as soon as possible,” said Patrice Tomcik, senior national field director for Moms Clean Air Force.

EDF noted that “proven, cost-effective solutions are available to help oil and gas operators meet the standards while reducing waste and monetary losses,” and both large and small producers have expressed support for the federal methane regulation as fossil fuel-producing states have begun implementing the standards.

The rule announced Wednesday, said EDF, “ignores the strong opposition to the rule from members of impacted communities and wide variety of other Americans.”