President Donald Trump said Tuesday, October 27, 2026, at a rally in Lubbock, Texas, that he was officially terminating Biden-era methane rules for oil and gas, according to The Hindu. Trump claimed the move would save consumers and energy producers $45 billion, the Guardian reported.
The Guardian reported that the Environmental Protection Agency said the proposal is expected to save $45bn in costs and produce an estimated 210 million additional barrels of oil and 1.41 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. Trump said the move would unlock 210 million barrels of oil.
According to The Hindu, the changes include a proposal to end the Super Emitter Program, which lets EPA-approved observers report major leaks above 100 kilograms per hour. The changes would also weaken rules on marginal wells producing 15 barrels or less of oil equivalent a day, and relax rules on routine flaring of associated gas.
Julia Kane of the watchdog Fieldnotes said the EPA is giving oil and gas corporations what they have long wanted, a toothless methane standard, The Hindu reported.
Since March 2025, when the EPA said it would no longer enforce oil and gas regulations, operators have leaked, vented or flared $7bn worth of natural gas, according to calculations by the Environmental Defense Fund, the Guardian reported.
The 2024 methane rule was the first time the federal government set nationwide limits on methane emissions from existing oil and gas facilities. According to the International Energy Agency, the US is the world’s leading emitter of methane from its oil and gas sector, followed by Russia.
The sources also differ on methane’s share of warming. The Hindu says methane is responsible for about a third, or 0.5°C, of total planetary heating since the pre-industrial era. The Guardian says it is responsible for at least a quarter of today’s warming. The sources use different figures and time bases.
The move comes as Trump faces criticism over high fuel prices linked to the US war in Iran.
Several gaps remain. It is unclear whether the EPA changes are final or still open to comment, since sources describe them as both a proposal and a termination. The $45 billion savings and 210 million barrel figures come from Trump and the EPA, and no independent verification is given. The Hindu notes the EPA gave no detailed breakdown. No effective date is given, and the sources include no response from the EPA, the White House or oil and gas industry groups to the criticism. A NPR National item was available only as a headline and short excerpt, so its details could not be checked. Most of the details in this story come from The Hindu and the Guardian.
The midterm elections are on November 3, and Trump is pushing energy-cost measures ahead of them. The sources do not say when the EPA changes would take effect or whether they face legal challenge.
Sources
This article was written with AI assistance from the published reporting listed above. It is part of the World Brief daily news podcast.