Four members of Congress from Texas introduced a bill to overturn the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) methane regulations that the members of Congress say would harm U.S. energy producers.
Texas Representatives August Pfluger (R-11) and Jodey Arrington (R-19) introduced the legislation on April 11 with Tracey Mann, a Republican from Kansas. The bill would stop portions of the EPA Methane Rule, which is part of a broad set of regulations finalized by the Biden Administration in December 2023.
The EPA claimed in a 2023 announcement that the regulations will "sharply reduce methane and other harmful air pollutants from the oil and natural gas industry, including from hundreds of thousands of existing sources nationwide.” The agency said the rule is intended to "promote the use of cutting-edge methane detection technologies, and deliver significant economic and public health benefits."
According to Rep. Pfluger, "The Methane Rule imposes excessive and costly restrictions on energy producers in regions like the Permian Basin.”
Rep. Arrington said in a statement the rule is a threat to national security and the economy, and that it will increase energy prices and jeopardize jobs in the industry.
The Independent Petroleum Association of America claims the rule “would shut down 300,000 small oil and natural gas wells."
Ben Shepperd, President of the Permian Basin Petroleum Association called the Methane Rule "very poorly crafted,” and said it will have "no environmental benefit.” According to Shepperd, the rule is an "effort to shut down the American energy industry."
The bill is cosponsored by Texas Representatives Chip Roy (R) and Lance Gooden (R). A companion resolution is set to be introduced in the U.S. Senate by Senators Roger Marshall (R-KS) and Steve Daines (R-MT).