Trump Announces Rollback of Biden-Era Methane Rules for Oil and Gas Wells at Texas Rally
Photo: The GuardianPresident Donald Trump announced at a campaign rally in Lubbock, Texas, on Tuesday evening that his administration is terminating Biden-era rules requiring oil and gas companies to curb methane leaks. Trump said the change would save consumers and energy producers $45 billion and unlock 210 million barrels of oil, about 10 days of US petroleum consumption. He described the Environmental Protection Agency's action as scrapping "expensive and unnecessary" restrictions on methane emissions from thousands of low-producing wells. The move is meant to encourage more domestic drilling as Trump faces criticism over high fuel prices tied to the US war in Iran. The EPA's own analysis found the change would, at best, cut gasoline prices next year by about 0.14%.
The 2024 methane rule was the first federal requirement to limit methane emissions from existing oil and gas facilities, and it covered leaking, flaring and venting of methane and volatile organic compounds. An earlier Obama-era rule applied only to new and modified sources.
The Guardian, on the left, leads with Trump's announcement and critics' warnings of climate danger. It sets his $45 billion and 210 million barrel claims beside the war-driven fuel price pressure. It adds that industry groups and companies worked behind the scenes to weaken the rule, citing Freedom of Information Act records obtained by the watchdog Fieldnotes, even though some executives backed it publicly. National Review, on the right, calls the rollback welcome in its headline and argues that even if the administration's projections are optimistic, the changes move energy policy in the right direction. Its excerpt gives no figures or critics. Both sides report the rollback as part of Trump's energy agenda. They differ on whether it is a climate setback or sound policy. Semafor, an alternative outlet, offers a distinct angle: it says the move mainly favors small producers and could hand regulatory sway to Europe, a key market for US gas.
How the sides differ Left sources stress climate danger and industry lobbying; alternative sources question the economic and trade effects; right sources welcome the rollback as better energy policy even if projections are optimistic.
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The Guardian leads with Trump's rally announcement and critics' climate warnings, and adds Fieldnotes records suggesting industry groups quietly worked to weaken the rule while some executives backed it publicly.
Semafor argues the rollback mainly benefits small producers and may give Europe more regulatory sway, citing the EPA's estimate of a roughly 0.14% gasoline price cut and industry support for some methane regulation.
National Review welcomes the rollback, saying that even if administration projections are optimistic, the proposed changes move energy policy in the right direction.