WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Environmental Protection Agency’s newly announced methane rule will significantly reduce emissions of this climate super-pollutant, plus curb release of toxic air pollutants harmful to human health, especially those living near oil and gas development. The new rule goes beyond the Obama-era methane rule by covering all existing and new oil and gas sources of methane pollution. 

“Making up for lost time by swiftly curtailing methane emissions is critical to protect people and wildlife alike from the impacts of climate change and toxic air pollution,” said Shannon Heyck-Williams, senior director of climate and energy policy at the National Wildlife Federation. “The new EPA rule will help us meet the moment on this dangerous super-pollutant plus reduce health threats from dangerous pollutants like benzene, promising a safer climate and cleaner air. We applaud the Biden Administration in going farther than any administration has gone before to cut methane pollution.”

Methane has 80 times the climate-altering power of carbon dioxide in the near-term. The new methane rule was designed to build upon restored emissions regulations that were dismantled by the former administration but reinstated by Congress. The Biden administration’s commitment to cut overall emissions between 50 and 52 percent below 2005 levels by 2030 depends on strong actions like this one, which complements a methane reduction program also being considered by Congress in the Build Back Better Act. The proposed rule comes as global leaders meet in Glasgow this week to agree to additional collective action to address climate change.