EPA proposes broad methane-rule revisions after Trump announcement
Source published: Oct 27, 2026 · 12:32 PM EDT · Event: 2026-10-27
The Environmental Protection Agency proposed broad revisions to its 2024 Clean Air Act standards for methane emissions from new and existing oil and gas facilities after President Donald Trump announced the action at a campaign rally in Lubbock, Texas. The signed proposal would rescind the Super Emitter Program, create different requirements for categories including marginal and conventional wells, and revise provisions covering leak monitoring, flaring and other equipment. Trump described the action as terminating the Biden-era regulations, but EPA's primary document labels it a proposed rule. It must proceed through Federal Register publication, a public-comment period and a virtual hearing before any final replacement rule is issued.
Response / context
EPA estimates the proposal would reduce costs by $45 billion and yield an additional 210 million barrels of oil and 1.41 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. Those are agency projections, not measured outcomes. Associated Press reported that the Biden administration projected the 2024 rule would prevent 58 million tons of methane emissions by 2038 and produce $98 billion in benefits by 2034. Environmental Defense Fund President Fred Krupp said the revision would give companies a free pass to waste gas and increase pollution. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said the existing requirements burden producers and that revising them would lower costs and increase production. The proposal's final terms and effects remain subject to the rulemaking process.
Dates and scope
Source publication: Oct 27, 2026 · 12:32 PM EDT
Event or conduct: 2026-10-27. Trump announced the action during a Lubbock, Texas, campaign rally on October 27. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin signed the 388-page prepublication proposal the same day, and EPA issued its public release on October 27. Reuters published a preview at 12:32 p.m. EDT October 27. Associated Press published its post-announcement report at 1:01 a.m. EDT October 28. The Ledger reviewed the EPA proposal, agency action page, release, AP report, Reuters report and rally transcript at 1:08 a.m. EDT October 28. The rally statement, signed proposal, agency release, news-publication times and source-review time are distinct.
Dated report. Publication, event and review times are different; the review time is when the sources were last checked, not a live update.
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Read the original sources
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Proposed Reconsideration of the 2024 Final Clean Air Act Rule ↗
Primary 388-page prepublication proposal signed October 27; it identifies the action as a proposed rule and describes the proposed rescission, subcategories, equipment provisions and future comment process
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: 2026 Actions to Reduce Burden on the Oil and Natural Gas Industry ↗
Primary agency action page linking the proposal, fact sheets and regulatory-impact analysis and describing the hearing and public-comment process
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: EPA Proposes Major New Revisions to Biden-era Oil and Natural Gas Regulations ↗
October 27 administration release presenting EPA's projected $45 billion in savings, 210 million additional barrels of oil and 1.41 trillion cubic feet of natural gas
- Associated Press, Matthew Brown and Mead Gruver: Trump says he's ending restrictions on climate-warming methane from oil drilling ↗
October 28 report published at 1:01 a.m. EDT covering Trump's announcement, the proposal's regulatory context, competing cost-and-benefit estimates and environmental-group response
- Reuters, Steve Holland and Jarrett Renshaw: Trump to roll back methane rules in latest Texas campaign push ↗
October 27 preview published at 12:32 p.m. EDT explaining the campaign context and planned revisions to leak reporting, marginal-well standards and routine flaring
- Roll Call Factba.se: Donald Trump holds a midterm political rally in Lubbock, Texas ↗
October 27 rally transcript recording Trump's statement that he was terminating the methane regulations and his presentation of EPA's projected savings and production figures
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