On December 2, 2023, EPA Administrator Michael Regan announced that strong federal methane rules for new and existing oil and gas operations had been finalized. This is not just a momentous win for families’ health, but the most impactful climate rule the United States has issued so far.
EPA first proposed new rules for methane pollution from oil and gas operations in November 2021. Since then, they have held two comment periods during which thousands of advocates encouraged them to make the rules stronger. Over these last two years, Moms Clean Air Force members have testified at hearings in support of strong methane safeguards 100 times and submitted nearly 50,000 written comments. Strong, comprehensive methane rules have received overwhelming public support from advocates around the country—and EPA has now delivered!
The new methane protections matter for families. These are the top 3 reasons why:
1. They will protect our children’s future.
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas responsible for an outsize portion of climate pollution. Cutting methane pollution is one of the fastest means we have to slow the rate of climate change.
EPA estimates that from 2024 to 2038 the new standards will reduce methane from sources covered by the rules by 80%. This is enough methane (a.k.a. natural gas) to keep 8 million homes warm over the winter.
2. They will protect people’s health.
Not only do these new safeguards help cut methane pollution, they also protect people from harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released with methane. VOCs are known to cause health impacts ranging from cancer to respiratory issues.
Plus, VOCs can combine with heat and sunlight to create ozone, or smog, a harmful pollutant. EPA estimates that the methane rules will reduce ozone pollution enough to prevent up to 97,000 cases of asthma and 35,000 lost school days a year.
3. They will protect the health of communities living near oil and gas infrastructure.
The new rules include several important measures to minimize methane and other air pollutants at the source—a huge win for communities near oil and gas infrastructure, which are largely Black, Indigenous, and Latino:
- Comprehensive leak detection and repair (LDAR) requirements will ensure all oil and gas infrastructure is subject to regular inspections, including low-producing and inactive sites. Recent studies show that emissions from just a small number of wells are responsible for as much as half of the methane emissions from oil and natural gas operations.
- Standards for zero-emitting equipment will reduce pollution leaks from pneumatic controllers, pumps, and storage tanks.
- Phasing out flaring at all new wells over the next two years will mean oil and gas operations can no longer burn excess gas, releasing more pollution into the air.
- The Super Emitter Program will enable certified third parties, including environmental groups, to detect and report large methane releases from oil and gas sites. EPA will publicly post large pollution events on a timely basis so nearby communities are aware and can take protective action.
While EPA’s new methane rules are a critical step forward, our work is far from done. The next stage of the rulemaking shifts to states and Tribes, which have two years to decide how they will implement and enforce these rules. Moms Clean Air Force will continue to work with EPA, state, and Tribal agencies as they implement these protections, and we will keep demanding strong pollution safeguards that ensure clean air for this generation and the next.
TELL PRESIDENT BIDEN & EPA: MOVE QUICKLY TO FINALIZE STRONG POLLUTION PROTECTIONS