EPA’s delay of 2024 methane standards could result in millions of tons of added emissions, with experts warning of heightened climate and public health impacts.
At the end of July, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin finalized an interim rule delaying compliance deadlines for the 2024 methane standards covering oil and gas facilities. The “Delay Rule” pushes back requirements for leak detection, equipment controls, and state implementation plans by up to 18 months. Critics say the move weakens protections that were already in effect, enabling more methane leaks, venting, and flaring at a time when U.S. emissions are rising.
On September 2, the EPA held its only public hearing—after the rule had already taken effect. Dozens testified, including environmental groups, health organizations, Tribal representatives, and residents from oil and gas communities.
Grace Smith, Senior Attorney at Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), testified that the delay “increases risks posed by climate change and toxic air pollution.” Smith emphasized that methane is 80 times more powerful than carbon dioxide in the near term and is already responsible for about one-third of today’s climate warming.
EDF estimates the rollback could result in 3.8 million tons of methane, 960,000 tons of volatile organic compounds, and 36,000 tons of hazardous air pollutants between 2028 and 2038.
Methane leaks are often accompanied by volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and hazardous air toxics that contribute to smog, respiratory illness, neurological damage, and cancer. Children are particularly vulnerable: studies link oil and gas pollution to approximately 500,000 missed school days each year due to asthma and other health effects.
EPA’s original 2024 standards were projected to reduce 58 million tons of methane emissions by 2038, alongside major cuts to VOCs and toxics. By delaying compliance, EDF argues, the agency is denying communities immediate protections that are technologically feasible and already in use by leading operators.
Several groups, led by EDF, have filed a lawsuit seeking summary vacatur of the Delay Rule, arguing it violates the Clean Air Act and the Administrative Procedure Act by skipping the required public comment process. Courts have previously struck down similar “interim final rules” that bypassed notice-and-comment procedures without clear emergency justification.
States such as Colorado are also moving ahead regardless of federal delays, finalizing methane rules that meet or exceed EPA’s 2024 standards. Industry leaders including BP and Shell have also signaled support for methane regulations, recognizing that uncontrolled leaks waste product and harm investor confidence.
The outcome of the lawsuit could determine whether EPA must immediately reinstate the 2024 methane rule deadlines or defend its extension in court. Meanwhile, public pressure is mounting: delaying enforcement risks worsening both climate change impacts and community health burdens while offering minimal economic savings.
