Trump Targets Biden-Era Climate Rules To Unlock 210 Million Barrels Of Oil

US President Donald Trump has announced plans to roll back methane emissions regulations introduced under former President Joe Biden, claiming the move would save consumers and energy producers $45 billion and unlock 210 million barrels of oil. The announcement came during a campaign rally in Texas on Tuesday, October 27, as his administration faces mounting pressure over high fuel prices amid the US war in Iran.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed revising the Biden-era regulations to reduce compliance costs and encourage domestic oil and gas production. The administration also estimates that the changes could unlock 1.41 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. However, the proposed revisions must undergo a public consultation process before they can be finalised.

The proposed rollback would eliminate the EPA's Super Emitter Program, which uses monitoring technologies to identify major methane leaks from oil and gas facilities. Under the existing framework, companies must investigate reported leaks and repair those covered by applicable standards. The administration also plans to introduce less restrictive requirements for smaller oil and gas wells and ease certain restrictions on routine flaring, the practice of burning off excess natural gas during oil production.

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has argued that the Biden-era regulations imposed excessive costs on energy producers and threatened smaller businesses. The agency estimates that the earlier rules would cost $18 billion, while the proposed revisions would save $45 billion. The EPA has said it will allow public comments on the proposal before finalising the changes.

Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas responsible for approximately one-third of planet-warming emissions, according to estimates cited by scientists. Although it remains in the atmosphere for less time than carbon dioxide, it traps significantly more heat over the short term. Oil and gas operations are a major industrial source of methane, which can escape through leaking equipment or be released when producers burn off excess natural gas instead of capturing it for use.

The Biden administration's 2024 rule extended requirements to existing oil and gas wells rather than focusing primarily on new facilities. It also sought to address emissions from smaller wells, which account for a relatively small share of US oil and gas production but contribute disproportionately to methane pollution.

Federal officials under Biden estimated that the rule would prevent 58 million tons of methane emissions by 2038 and generate $98 billion in benefits by 2034, including gains associated with public health and environmental protection.

Environmental groups have criticised Trump's proposed rollback, warning that weaker regulations could increase pollution and allow companies to waste natural gas that could otherwise be captured and supplied to households. Max Lopez, an attorney at the Environmental Law & Policy Center, said the changes would impose a heavier pollution burden on frontline communities and make the energy sector less efficient.