Trump Admin Moves to Roll Back Methane Rules as Energy Push Intensifies
Andrew Powell · Oct 28, 2026 · 2 min read
The Environmental Protection Agency is moving to loosen federal restrictions on methane emissions from oil and gas operations as President Donald Trump pushes to expand domestic energy production.
The policy shift comes as the administration seeks to increase U.S. energy output amid elevated fuel prices and the ongoing war with Iran, according to FOX Business.
The changes would affect regulations designed to limit methane releases from oil and gas facilities.
Methane is the primary component of natural gas and is also a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Oil and gas operations are considered the largest industrial source of methane emissions, according to The Associated Press.
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said last month that the agency plans to eliminate its “Super Emitter Program,” which requires oil and gas companies to identify and repair significant methane leaks.
The EPA is also expected to ease requirements affecting smaller oil and gas wells. The changes would reduce some of the federal oversight currently used to address methane emissions from the industry.
“The Trump EPA is committed to fixing this so the U.S. can reach its full energy potential,” Zeldin said last month while discussing the administration’s approach.
The move has drawn criticism from environmental organizations, which argue that weakening methane regulations could result in increased pollution.
Fred Krupp, president of the Environmental Defense Fund, said the EPA should be taking a stronger approach toward methane waste rather than reducing requirements on oil and gas producers.
“EPA should be fighting this waste, not making it easier,” Krupp said.
Methane has become a major focus of environmental regulation because of its role in greenhouse gas emissions. The oil and gas industry releases the gas through leaks and other operations, making regulation of those emissions a key issue in the broader debate over U.S. energy policy.
The administration’s approach reflects Trump’s broader effort to encourage greater domestic production of oil and natural gas. Supporters of the changes argue that reducing regulatory requirements could help producers expand output and strengthen the country’s energy supply.
Critics contend that the rollback could come at the cost of additional methane pollution. The EPA’s planned changes therefore put the administration’s energy-production goals directly against concerns from environmental groups over emissions from the oil and gas sector.