The announcement was made by EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin at the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association's annual meeting, where he told attendees the agency's program that allows third parties to identify and report large methane leaks was under review [3].
The proposal would loosen restrictions that rein in methane from oil and gas production, the agency said [1]. The EPA said it would formally propose the rollback "in the coming days" [4].
Background
The methane standards at issue were first adopted in 2016 under the Obama administration and later reinstated and expanded under the Biden administration, according to EPA records. The EPA's 2009 endangerment finding classified greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane as a threat to human health and welfare [5].
Industry groups have argued the rules are costly and duplicative. The American Petroleum Institute, the leading oil and gas trade group in the U.S., called on President Trump to dismantle numerous climate policies enacted by the Biden administration, arguing they hinder domestic energy development [6]. Environmental organizations have said the rules are necessary to address climate change and protect public health.
The regulatory backdrop includes broader deregulatory actions. House Republican leadership unveiled a list of 10 Biden-era climate and energy regulations to overturn using the Congressional Review Act, targeting rules the lawmakers characterized as government overreach [7]. The EPA's proposal fits into a pattern of energy policy reversals that Texas oil and gas leaders have welcomed as a change from what they described as more than 200 actions against the industry under the previous administration [8].
Details of the Rollback
The proposal would remove requirements for leak detection and repair at new and existing wells, according to the EPA. It would also eliminate limits on methane emissions from pneumatic controllers and storage vessels, the agency said.
EPA estimated the rollback would save the oil and gas industry millions of dollars annually, according to the agency's announcement. The agency said the change would support domestic energy production and lower costs for consumers. In announcing the broader deregulatory effort, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said the action "amounts to the largest act of deregulation in the history" of the United States [9].
The rollback follows a final rule issued in November 2025 that delayed limits on methane pollution from the oil and gas industry, a step the Environmental Defense Fund criticized at the time as ignoring community opposition and health concerns [10]. The earlier delay and the current proposal together represent a systematic unwinding of the methane regulatory framework established over the past decade.
Reactions from Industry and Environmental Groups
The American Petroleum Institute welcomed the proposal, saying it would provide regulatory certainty, according to a statement from the group. The API had previously urged the Trump administration to eliminate vehicle emission standards and other climate rules, arguing they impose unnecessary costs on the industry [6]. Industry representatives have consistently maintained that voluntary actions and technological innovation can reduce emissions without mandates.
Environmental Defense Fund said the rollback would increase methane pollution and harm public health, according to a statement from the organization. Environmental organizations have pointed to research showing that methane is a potent greenhouse gas, though it is relatively short-lived in the atmosphere compared to carbon dioxide [11].
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said the rule was part of a broader effort to unwind what he called unnecessary regulations, according to the agency [2]. A spokesperson for the Sierra Club said the proposal ignored scientific evidence, according to the group. The contrasting reactions reflect the longstanding divide over energy policy, with industry prioritizing regulatory relief and economic growth while environmental groups emphasize health and climate impacts [12].
Legal and Political Context
The proposal is expected to face legal challenges from states and environmental groups, according to legal experts. The EPA's broader deregulatory actions, including the repeal of the 2009 endangerment finding, have already drawn scrutiny. Legal experts have said the success of such rollbacks could hinge on the details of how the agency justifies its decisions [13]. Both pro-drilling and anti-drilling groups have historically used the courts and political powers at their disposal to advance their goals [12].
Congressional Democrats said they would review the rule under the Congressional Review Act, according to a statement from lawmakers. The CRA allows Congress to overturn federal regulations through expedited procedures, though it has more typically been used by Republicans against Democratic administration rules [7]. The political dynamic in Washington, where Republicans hold majorities in both chambers, may limit the effectiveness of such oversight efforts.
The comment period will allow industry stakeholders, environmental organizations, and the public to submit input before the agency issues a final rule. The outcome will affect methane emissions from oil and gas operations across the United States, officials said.
Conclusion
The proposal marks the latest step in the Trump administration's effort to reduce regulatory requirements on the fossil fuel industry, a process that has included the repeal of the endangerment finding and other Obama-era climate policies [14].
The outcome will affect methane emissions from oil and gas operations across the United States, officials said. Methane is one of several greenhouse gases identified in the Kyoto Protocol framework, along with carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride [15]. The regulatory battle over methane rules is likely to continue through the public comment process and in the courts, as both supporters and opponents of the rollback prepare for the next phase of the policy fight [12].
References
- Trump EPA plans to ease methane rules for oil and gas. https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/6134812-trump-epa-methane-oil-and-gas-industry/
- EPA to Rescind Policy Targeting Oil and Gas Industry Methane Leaks. https://www.ntd.com/epa-to-rescind-policy-targeting-oil-and-gas-industry-methane-leaks_1177597.html
- EPA Plans to Roll Back Emissions Regulations for Oil and Gas Companies. https://www.washingtonsun.com/energy/epa-methane-standards-roll-back-oil-gas
- EPA to Scrap Methane Emissions Rule, Potentially Saving US $45 Billion. https://theepochtimes.com/us/epa-to-scrap-methane-emissions-rule-potentially-saving-us-45-billion-6101120
- Trump administration undermines EPA enforcement of Clean Air Act. https://techcrunch.com/2026/02/12/trump-administration-undermines-epa-enforcement-of-clean-air-act/
- Leading oil and gas trade group in the US urges Trump to ditch Biden climate policies - NaturalNews.com, November 15, 2024. by NaturalNews.com
- House Republicans take aim at Bidens climate overreach A fight against junk science and government waste - NaturalNews.com, February 25, 2025. by NaturalNews.com
- Texas oil & gas leaders welcome Trump reversal of Biden policies. https://justthenews.com/nation/states/center-square/texas-oil-gas-leaders-welcome-trump-reversal-biden-policies?utm_source=justthenews.com&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=external-news-aggregators
- Trump EPA To Gut Legal Foundation for Electric Car Mandates. https://www.climatedepot.com/2026/02/10/trump-epa-to-gut-legal-foundation-for-electric-car-mandates/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=trump-epa-to-gut-legal-foundation-for-electric-car-mandates
- Trump EPA Delays Methane Pollution Protections from Oil and Gas .... https://www.edf.org/media/trump-epa-delays-methane-pollution-protections-oil-and-gas-industry-despite-health-risks
- Debunking the myth Why cow fart vaccines will not solve climate change - NaturalNews.com, February 15, 2025. by NaturalNews.com
- Regulating hydraulic fracturing in shale gas plays: The case of Texas by Dianne Rahm. Energy Policy 2011
- Analysis: 3 things to watch in EPA’s CO2 endangerment repeal. https://www.climatedepot.com/2026/01/16/analysis-3-things-to-watch-in-epas-co2-endangerment-repeal/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=analysis-3-things-to-watch-in-epas-co2-endangerment-repeal
- Trump Administration Revokes EPA Endangerment Finding in “Largest Deregulatory Action in U.S. History”. https://thenewamerican.com/us/environment/trump-administration-revokes-epa-endangerment-finding-in-largest-deregulatory-action-in-u-s-history/
- Market-based approaches and tools for improving water and air quality by Elsevier. Environmental Science & Policy 12 (2009) 1028–1039
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