# EPA Rollback Threatens Methane Rules

> EPA plans to weaken methane regulations for oil and gas companies, risking higher emissions.
- Title: EPA Rollback Threatens Methane Rules · Mother Jones | Shortify
- Summary: EPA plans to weaken methane regulations for oil and gas companies, risking higher emissions. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin is rolling back Biden-era methane…
- Keywords: epa, lee zeldin, methane emissions, oil and gas, biden administration, trump administration, quad o, methane super emitter program, fieldnotes, domestic energy producers alliance, Rollback, Threatens
- Source: Mother Jones — https://motherjones.com/environment/2026/10/epa-zeldin-methane-emissions-rules-rollback-oil-gas-super-emitter-program
- Author: Rachel Santarsiero
- Published: 2026-10-14T07:30:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: epa, lee zeldin, methane emissions, oil and gas, biden administration, trump administration, quad o, methane super emitter program, fieldnotes, domestic energy producers alliance
## EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin addressed oil and gas executives at New Mexico Oil and Gas Association’s annual meeting in Santa Fe.
## Draft Reconsideration of Methane Rule
The EPA is within days of releasing a draft reconsideration of a major Biden-era oil and gas methane rule.
## Weakened Regulations
The new proposal would weaken regulations on oil and gas operators to allow additional leaking, venting, and flaring.
## Methane Emissions Impact
Methane has 80 times more heat-trapping potential than carbon dioxide over a 20-year life span.
## EPA Claims $45 Billion Savings
Zeldin said the new EPA measure would save taxpayers $45 billion.
## Industry Coordination
Fieldnotes reported coordinated industry strategy to avoid regulatory accountability through communications and records.
## Quad O Rule
The Biden administration proposed key revisions to methane rules, including a rule targeting leaking, venting, and flaring.
## Hamm's Influence
Fracking billionaire Harold Hamm has helped push for EPA to deregulate methane from oil and gas operations.
## EPA's Next Steps
The EPA will publish the reconsideration within days, potentially deregulating methane emissions entirely.
## Key takeaway

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin is rolling back Biden-era methane rules to allow more leaks and flaring, potentially raising U.S. methane emissions.