EPA to kick off comment period for methane pollution rule rollback
The public comment period will soon begin for the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) controversial proposal to ease the Obama administration’s methane pollution standards for oil and natural gas drillers.
The proposed change will be published Monday in the Federal Register. EPA will then accept comments from companies, environmental groups, states or anyone in the public until Dec. 17.
The Trump administration announced more than a month ago that it would seek to remove some of the key provisions of the 2015 rule, mainly to cut methane leak monitoring and reporting requirements, permit “alternative” leak prevention technologies and reduce qualifications for engineers who certify equipment, among other changes.
While major parts of the 2015 rule intended to cut down on methane pollution remain in place, the EPA is likely to seek to repeal or change those in the future.
https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/411180-epa-to-kick-off-comment-period-for-methane-pollution-rule-rollback
