A coalition of Republican-dominated states is urging the Supreme Court to block the Biden administration’s initiative to regulate methane emissions from oil and gas operations. This group, comprising 23 state attorneys general and the Republican-led Legislature of Arizona, is challenging an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule that mandates the management of methane leaks from oil and gas wells.
This request follows a lower court’s refusal to intervene and is part of a broader trend where Republican-led states seek to overturn environmental and climate regulations via the Supreme Court. The states contend that the EPA has exceeded its authority with this rule, arguing that while the federal government can impose emission limits, this particular rule is excessively prescriptive regarding state methods for reducing methane emissions.
The Biden administration’s methane rule faces opposition from Republican-led states, now appealing to the Supreme Court
The EPA has not yet commented on the appeal. When the rule was introduced late last year, the agency highlighted its potential for climate benefits and noted that it would also mitigate the release of hazardous substances.
Methane, a potent greenhouse gas, is more effective at trapping heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide over a century. It is a key component of natural gas and is emitted during its production process.
The states involved in this legal action include Oklahoma, Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming, alongside the Arizona Legislature.
