Wyoming delegation welcomes EPA's proposal to remove redundant methane requirement's

Press Release

U.S. Senators Mike Enzi and John Barrasso and Congresswoman Liz Cheney, all R-Wyo., issued the following statements today regarding the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) proposed updates to the previous administration's national methane standards for the oil and natural gas industry. The proposal, under the Clean Air Act's New Source Performance Standards, would remove regulatory duplication while maintaining health and environmental regulations on appropriate oil and gas sources.

"The current methane venting and flaring rules created under the Obama Administration were excessive and overly burdensome," Enzi said. "I appreciate that the Trump Administration is continuing to review old regulations, and update them where necessary, to help ensure that we do not improperly burden our country's energy development. We in Wyoming know the benefit that oil and gas development can have on our community, and I look forward to reviewing the draft rule in full."

"The Trump administration is working to make sure regulations are justified," Barrasso said. "The state of Wyoming already regulates methane emissions from oil and gas production. There's no need for Washington to pile on. I will work with Wyoming to evaluate the Environmental Protection Agency's new proposal. We need commonsense rules that protect our air without hurting our economy."

"I applaud the Trump Administration for eliminating the unnecessary and overreaching Obama-Era Methane Rule that imperiled crucial sectors of our state's economy. When this rule was implemented by the previous administration, it represented an existential threat to both America's energy industry - which employs thousands of workers in Wyoming - and to the affordable and reliable fossil fuels that families across the country rely on," Cheney said. "Fortunately, President Trump has reversed this approach and instead championed the resources that our country has at its disposal. Today's amendments put forward by the EPA will allow the private sector to create more jobs and produce more energy at home. I will continue to work with the President and Administrator Wheeler to further increase domestic energy production, while reducing unnecessary and burdensome regulation."

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