EPA finalizes methane rule, boosts gas flaring
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- EPA finalized a reconsideration of the 2024 methane rule, which loosens federal restrictions on gas flaring at oil wells.
- EPA’s rule will permit increased venting and burning of natural gas, leading to higher climate‑warming methane and other air pollutants.
- Sierra Club called the rollback a “massive step backward” for public health, climate, and economic common sense.
- Mahyar Sorour warned the change will worsen smog and soot pollution in already overburdened communities while driving up energy costs for families.
- Antoinette Reyes highlighted that New Mexico’s ban on routine venting and flaring is undermined, allowing operators across state lines to burn and vent gas instead of capturing it.
- Cyrus Reed noted that Texas, the nation’s top oil‑gas producer, will see increased methane emissions, sacrificing community health for lobbying interests.
Why it matters: Oil operators gain the ability to flare more gas without capture costs, while nearby residents and the climate lose from higher smog, soot, and methane emissions, intensifying health risks and the climate crisis. The rule also undermines state‑level bans, such as New Mexico’s, and rewards polluters at the expense of responsible operators and vulnerable communities.
