The rule, proposed nearly a year ago, was mandated by the Inflation Reduction Act, which could make it more difficult for the second Trump administration to dismantle.
The methane fee will be charged by the federal government until the companies fix the leaks.
This fee was paired with financial incentives for oil and gas companies to fix leaky pipelines or infrastructure.
The rule could prove tricky for the incoming Trump administration to overturn because the program was included in Biden’s climate law, which passed Congress in 2022.
Undoing it would take another act of Congress; while not impossible if Republicans take the House of Representatives, it could be an uphill climb and take longer than if the Trump administration were acting on its own.
Persons:
Biden, Trump, It’s, Michael Regan
Organizations:
CNN, Environmental Protection Agency, EPA