EPA administrator Lee Zeldin announces oil and gas emission rule rollbacks
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced plans on Wednesday to roll back Biden-era oil and gas emission regulations during a visit to Santa Fe, New Mexico. The move aims to remove what Zeldin described as unnecessary burdens on energy producers, while environmental groups staged protests in response to the proposed changes.
Administrator Zeldin Targets Methane Rule and Super Emitter Program
During the annual meeting of the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association, Zeldin indicated that federal oversight would change. The EPA plans to eliminate the “super emitter” program, a system designed to identify and investigate large methane leaks at or near oil and gas facilities. According to the EPA, this announcement is part of a broader effort to revisit how the agency regulates associated gas from oil wells.
Zeldin defended the policy shift by citing the economic needs of American households. “Americans must be able to afford to heat their homes in the winter and fill up their car and drive to work,” Zeldin said. “They can’t do that when the people producing the energy are weighed down by unnecessary burdens.” He added that the administration is “days, not weeks” away from formally proposing the removal of the super emitter program.
Environmental Coalitions Protest Santa Fe Announcement
As the EPA administrator addressed industry representatives, members of the New Mexico Methane Table coalition, including the Sierra Club Rio Grande chapter and the Environmental Defense Fund, marched toward the Santa Fe Convention Center. These groups argue that the proposed rollbacks will exacerbate environmental damage and undermine states that have already implemented stringent emission standards.
Nini Gu of the Environmental Defense Fund noted a stark contrast in methane pollution levels between neighboring regions. Satellite data from the Delaware subbasin indicates that New Mexico currently maintains 60% less methane pollution than Texas. Gu attributed this difference primarily to the regulatory framework currently in place.
New Mexico Pursues Independent Regulatory Path
Jon Goldstein of the Environmental Defense Fund characterized the federal rollback as a loss for both the climate and the economy. “At a time when Americans are facing high energy costs, EPA should not give oil and gas companies more room to waste a domestic resource, adding to the nearly $7 billion in lost energy value since the Administration stopped enforcing key methane protections,” Goldstein stated.
Industry Response to Federal Policy Changes
Missi Currier, president and CEO of the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association, stated that the organization is currently reviewing the implications of the EPA’s announcement. Currier emphasized that the association supports clean and reliable energy, alongside policies that provide certainty for both producers and consumers.
The 2024 methane rule, which established performance standards for new and modified oil and gas infrastructure, remains a focal point of the current debate.
Rolling back these safeguards would mean more wasted energy, more methane pollution and greater health risks for communities living near oil and gas operations. Jon Goldstein