Lawmakers call on EPA to enact tougher methane-emissions standards

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Reps. Diana DeGette (D-CO) and Don Beyer (D-VA), along with U.S. Sens. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and Michael Bennet (D-CO) led a group of 79  lawmakers in calling on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to enact further restrictions on the oil and gas industry's practice of burning off excess gases at their drilling sites through a controversial process known as flaring.

The call came in a letter the lawmakers sent to EPA Administrator Michael Regan in response to the agency’s request for comments on a proposed rule it released in December to reduce methane emissions from oil and gas drilling sites across the country.

"Cutting methane pollution from the oil and gas industry is one of the most immediate and cost-effective ways to slow the rate of global warming while improving air quality and protecting public health," the lawmakers wrote. "While the supplemental proposal takes some important steps to reduce pollution from routine flaring of gas at oil wells, stricter safeguards against this harmful practice are critical to reduce pollution and protect health."

Methane is one of the most potent greenhouse gases and a leading contributor to the ongoing climate crisis. Nearly one-third of all methane emissions in the U.S. come from the production of oil and natural gas and climate experts agree that reducing emissions from those sites is key to combatting the overall climate crisis.

In an effort to reduce the industry’s methane emissions, EPA’s newly proposed rule would, among other things, require oil and gas companies to actively monitor for methane leaks at their drilling sites, properly close depleted wells to prevent future leaks, and expand their use of new technologies to monitor for methane pollution stemming from their operations.    

While the lawmakers praised the agency for its efforts to curb the release of the potent greenhouse gas from U.S. drilling sites, they urged it to go back and further tighten its proposed restrictions on the practice of flaring to close any potential loopholes that could weaken the agency's efforts to prohibit the controversial practice, except in the event of an emergency.

“EPA must build on the leadership of states [like New Mexico, Colorado and Alaska] and prohibit routine flaring except for safety emergencies and maintenance reasons,” the lawmakers wrote. “Additional clarification and definitions regarding each of these exceptions should also be provided."

In 2021, shortly after taking office, President Biden signed into law legislation DeGette and Heinrich introduced under the Congressional Review Act to rescind a controversial Trump administration rule that had weakened the agency’s ability to curb methane emissions from U.S. drilling sites.

That legislation restored two key Obama-era standards that set strict limits on the amount of methane oil and gas producers can release from any new, or newly modified, sites in the U.S.

The rule being proposed now by EPA will require oil and gas companies to take additionalsteps to actively monitor for, and prevent, future methane emissions from their drilling sites.

A copy of the lawmakers’ letter is available here.