Congress could complete by the end of June its rollback of former President Donald Trump’s elimination of methane gas releases from federal clean air regulation when the House is expected to approve the Senate's April 28 action to repeal that September 2020 policy change, setting the stage for a new Biden Administration approach that could include some Obama-era air emissions controls.
The Senate action on methane, passed by a 52-42 vote, enables use of the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to repeal rules that were approved within the last 60 congressional days of a previous administration. The Senate had to pass the CRA by May 21 to allow time for development of new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rules, set to be proposed in September. They would boost emission standards for new, reconstructed and modified oil and gas facilities, and address those from existing sources.