Trump administration to reverse methane standards
The Trump administration is expected to announce today that it will cut regulations on the powerful greenhouse gas methane to an extent.
The proposed plan would abolish Obama-era requirements for the industry to install technologies that monitor and limit leaks from new wells, tanks and pipeline networks and to more frequently inspect for leaks.
It would also anticipate legal requirements that would have forced the EPA to set rules on emissions from thousands of pre-existing wells and industry sites.
Some companies have asked for the rollback, while others, including Exxon Mobil Corp. and Royal Dutch Shell PLC, have warned the Trump administration that a lack of government-backed minimum requirements to limit emissions could erode the argument that natural gas is a cleaner fuel. They also say legal complications could lead to years of uncertainty before deregulation would lower costs.
