Trump EPA Delays Methane Pollution Protections from Oil and Gas Industry Despite Health Risks, Energy Waste, Widespread Opposition

(Washington, D.C. – November 25, 2026) – The Trump administration's EPA has issued a final rule to delay limits on dangerous methane pollution from the oil and gas industry, despite widespread community opposition and deep concerns about risks to human health.

The final rule was released today. It would delay implementation of many of the requirements in the 2024 U.S. EPA Methane Standards – which limit methane pollution from oil and gas leaks, venting and flaring – by 18 months. 

“The methane standards are already working to reduce pollution, protect people’s health, and prevent the needless waste of American energy. The rule released today means millions of Americans will be exposed to dangerous pollution for another year and a half, for no good reason,” said Grace Smith, Senior Attorney at Environmental Defense Fund. “Delaying the methane standards threatens people’s health and undermines progress by industry leaders.”

“What’s more, the Trump administration rushed to push through this harmful rule without meaningful transparency or a chance for the public to weigh in,” said Smith. “EDF is already in court challenging EPA’s first attempt to delay these vital protections. We will continue to oppose the rule released today, so that people can breathe cleaner air.” 

Methane, the main component of natural gas, is a climate pollutant that is 80 times more powerful than carbon dioxide. It is responsible for almost 30% of the global warming that we have experienced so far, and it is helping drive climate change and its worsening floods, wildfires, heatwaves and other severe weather events that are harming people across the country. 

The 2024 methane standards reduce methane pollution through commonsense steps like requiring leak detection and repairs. Those steps also reduce the emissions of other dangerous pollutants, including smog and soot-forming volatile organic compounds and toxic air pollutants that cause cancer. And because methane is the primary ingredient of natural gas, failure to address venting, flaring and leaks led to about $3.5 billion worth of wasted natural gas in 2023 alone.

Proven, cost-effective solutions are available to help oil and gas operators meet the standards while reducing waste and monetary losses. Both large and independent producers have gone on record in support of federal methane regulation, and major oil and gas producing states including Colorado, Wyoming, Pennsylvania and New Mexico have already been implementing the standards.  

In July, Administrator Zeldin announced that he would use the Interim Final Rule process to delay requirements for companies to comply with the methane standards for as long as 18 months – even though the standards had already been in place for more than a year, and even though EPA’s own fact sheet noted the delay would lead to more pollution – “The EPA estimates that the following emissions reductions will not occur from 2028-2038 as a result of the interim final rule: 3.8 million tons of methane, 960,000 tons of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and 36,000 tons of toxic air pollutant.” 

EPA also offered no opportunity for public input until after the Interim Final Rule delay took effect, in violation of the law. Within hours of the announcement, EDF and a dozen health, environment and community groups filed a lawsuit challenging that delay. That lawsuit is still pending in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.  

Today’s rule doubles down on the administration’s damaging delay and ignores the strong opposition to the rule from members of impacted communities and wide variety of other Americans.