The Trump administration's decision to dismantle federal methane protections for oil and gas operations is a move that benefits polluters at the expense of public health, according to an opinion piece by Elizabeth Bechard and Celerah Hewes.
This action follows the administration's repeal of limits on climate pollution from fossil fuel power plants, which the authors describe as an attack on environmental safeguards. They express concern that these changes come at a time when data center expansion is rapidly increasing national power demand, leading utility companies and developers to plan for more fossil fuel generation, including methane gas-fueled turbines and aging jet engines.
The increased reliance on methane for electricity could drive more oil and gas activity and methane leaks. When methane is released from these operations, toxic air pollutants like benzene are also emitted. Benzene has been linked to various forms of cancer, and the authors note that nearly 18 million people in the U.S., including over 1 million children, live near oil and gas wells that will now face fewer pollution restrictions.
Recent polling in five major oil and gas-producing states—California, Colorado, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, and Texas—indicates that 72% of respondents support their state adopting stringent rules to reduce methane emissions from the industry. Methane is a potent climate pollutant that accelerates global warming more rapidly than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period, contributing to escalating weather extremes. These extremes, such as intense heat and longer wildfire seasons, lead to increased heat-related illnesses, asthma, learning and behavioral problems, and poor birth outcomes, disproportionately affecting children.
The authors contend that the administration's actions contradict its public messaging on improving the health and financial well-being of American families. They emphasize the responsibility of those concerned about environmental safety to demand accountability from the administration and to prioritize children's health and futures over record profits for the fossil fuel industry, asserting that the EPA's role is to safeguard public health, not to grant polluters free passes.