Trump scraps US methane curbs for oil and gas producers
Why it matters: The rollback would weaken leak reporting, flaring limits and oversight of low-output wells across the sector.
President Donald Trump moved to roll back Biden-era methane rules for oil and gas producers, framing the change as a way to cut costs and boost energy output. Speaking at a rally in Lubbock, Texas, Trump said ending the regulations would save consumers and producers $45 billion. The Environmental Protection Agency, led by Lee Zeldin, had cited the same figure earlier in October. The changes target requirements on methane leaks, including a proposal to eliminate the Super Emitter Program, which lets EPA-approved observers report leaks above 100 kilograms an hour. Other revisions would ease rules on marginal wells and routine flaring of associated gas.