Twenty-One AGs Filed Petition for Review of EPA’s Rescission of Methane Emissions Regulations for New Sources in the Oil & Gas Industry
SEPTEMBER 14, 2020
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra led a coalition of 21 attorneys general in filing a petition for review of the the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) rescission of regulations put in place during the Obama administration to reduce emissions of methane, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other harmful pollutants from new sources in the oil and gas industry. The EPA’s rescission rule eliminates regulations on methane emissions from new sources across the entire natural gas industry, as well as regulations on VOCs and other pollutants from new sources in the the transmission and storage segment of the industry. In challenging the rescission, the coalition aimed to prevent the anticipated increase the oil and gas industry’s already significant climate impact, and to preserve the EPA’s authority to adopt methane emissions regulations for existing sources in the industry.
- Documents: Petition for ReviewCA Press Release
- Document Type: Petitions Press Releases/Statements
- States: California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Illinois Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island Vermont Virginia Washington Washington, D.C.
- Agencies: Environmental Protection Agency
- Issues: Clean Air & Climate Clean Air Act Climate Fossil Fuels Greenhouse Gas Emissions Methane Oil and Gas Public Health
- Era: Trump Administration
- Outcome: Win
- Explanation of Outcome:The case was voluntarily dismissed after Biden’s joint resolution vacated the rule.
- Action Type: Litigation