The Biden administration is ramping up efforts to reduce methane emissions, targeting the oil and gas industry for its role in global warming even as President Joe Biden has pressed energy producers for more oil drilling to lower prices at the gasoline pump.
The proposal also requires operators to respond to credible third-party reports of high-volume methane leaks. "We must lead by example when it comes to tackling methane pollution -- one of the biggest drivers of climate change," said EPA Administrator Michael Regan, who also is in Egypt for the climate talks. The new, stronger standards "will enable innovative new technology to flourish while protecting people and the planet," he said.
The supplemental rule comes as Biden has accused oil companies of "war profiteering" and raised the possibility of imposing a windfall tax on energy companies if they don't boost domestic production. The law allows exemptions for companies that comply with the EPA's standards or fall below a certain emissions threshold. It also includes $1.5 billon in grants and other spending to help operators and local communities improve monitoring and data collection for methane emissions, with the goal of finding and repairing natural gas leaks.
The draft rule is "a welcome sign that reducing methane emissions is a top priority for EPA," said Darin Schroeder of Clean Air Task Force.