U.S. EPA delays methane regulations for oil and gas in a move that will needlessly threaten public health and the climate
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) illegally issued a revised version of an interim final rule from July that will continue to delay compliance of several provisions of the 2024 rule that established new source standards and existing source guidelines for oil and gas facilities. By EPA’s own estimate, just a one-year delay of the 2024 rule once fully implemented would result in the emissions of 3.8 million tons of methane, 960,000 tons of smog-forming volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and 36,000 tons of toxic air pollution.
“As a result of the administration’s insistence on delaying compliance of critical pollution regulations, millions of Americans – and the climate – will suffer the consequences,” said Mary Sasso, attorney at Clean Air Task Force (CATF). “Now is not the time to slow down efforts to reduce pollution. We have long known that quickly and significantly reducing methane emissions is key to avoiding the worst effects of climate change, and we have the tools at our disposal to do so now – all while reducing air pollution that harms communities living and working near oil and gas facilities. Despite the significant increases in methane, VOCs, and other pollutants – and the timelines EPA determined were the best approach last year – the administration has decided to side with polluters at the expense of public health and the climate. CATF will continue to fight for implementation of these important air pollution protections.”
Press Contact
Samantha Sadowski, Senior Communications Manager, U.S., ssadowski@catf.us, +1 202-440-1717
About Clean Air Task Force
Clean Air Task Force (CATF) is a global nonprofit organization working to safeguard against the worst impacts of climate change by catalyzing the rapid development and deployment of low-carbon energy and other climate-protecting technologies. With more than 25 years of internationally recognized expertise on climate policy and a fierce commitment to exploring all potential solutions, CATF is a pragmatic, non-ideological advocacy group with the bold ideas needed to address climate change. CATF has offices in Boston, Washington D.C., and Brussels, with staff working virtually around the world. Visit catf.us and follow @cleanaircatf.
