White House moves to end methane rules, citing $45 billion in savings

The administration is dismantling federal regulations that required oil and gas companies to fix methane leaks, a move designed to cut costs and increase domestic energy production. President Donald Trump made the announcement during a campaign rally in Lubbock, Texas, on Tuesday evening.

Trump stated that the termination of the Biden-era rules would save consumers and energy producers $45 billion. He also claimed the change would unlock 210 million barrels of oil, a volume he described as equivalent to roughly 10 days of US petroleum consumption. The president described the previous regulations as expensive and unnecessary, noting that they had caused prices to skyrocket for small operators.

The policy shift follows a timeline of regulatory review that began in March 2025. EPA administrator Lee Zeldin announced at that time that the agency was reconsidering the rules to prevent them from hindering energy dominance. The 2024 rule had been the first federal mandate to limit methane from existing facilities. It required operators to minimize leaking, flaring, and venting of methane and volatile organic compounds. An earlier 2016 rule under the Obama administration had only applied to new or modified sources.

Industry groups have engaged heavily with the agency since the administration took office. Records obtained by the watchdog organization Fieldnotes show that trade associations and companies met with EPA staff at least 38 times during the first year. Julia Kane, a researcher at Fieldnotes, described the level of access as extraordinary. She noted that while the industry claims to be a good-faith partner, it has often worked to weaken regulations behind the scenes.

Lee Fuller, an executive at the Independent Petroleum Association of America, recalled a conference call where EPA staff were suddenly willing to discuss long-standing industry requests. He described the meeting as fascinating because it covered topics that had not previously been on the radar. In April, Continental Resources, a company founded by Harold Hamm, wrote a letter to the EPA objecting to measures that prohibited routine flaring of associated gas.

Since the EPA announced it would stop enforcing these regulations in March 2025, operators have leaked, vented, or flared $7 billion worth of natural gas, according to the Environmental Defense Fund. Rosalie Winn, a senior director at the group, said the administration is enabling major polluters to save money while wasting energy. The EPA proposal is expected to produce an estimated 210 million additional barrels of oil and 1.41 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.

The White House framed the action as a way to end a war on oil and natural gas. The proposal revises oil and natural gas regulations under the Clean Air Act. The agency expects the changes to reduce costs for businesses, including those operating marginal wells. The move comes as the administration faces criticism over high fuel prices linked to the US war in Iran.