The United States Supreme Court declined to pause the Environmental Protection Agency’s methane standards. This means that the standards will go into effect while the lower court considers lawsuits against the regulations. The EPA methane standards are common sense regulations that limit emissions of methane from both existing and new oil and gas equipment and ban the practice of routine flaring.
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that has caused 30% of the rise in global temperature since the Industrial Revolution. The resulting climate change is already impacting Texas, with extreme heat, drought, extreme precipitation, and an increase in damaging weather that has caused property insurance rates to increase.
Given its short residence time in the atmosphere, stopping methane leaks from the oil and gas industry is a fast way to reduce the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Cutting methane emissions can lessen the climate impacts we are seeing now and improve our chances of a stable climate in the future.
Methane emissions also cause poor air quality, which causes health impacts in frontline communities. A study by the Environmental Defense Fund found that “oil and gas venting and flaring results in $7.4 billion in health damages, more than 700 premature deaths and 73,000 asthma exacerbations among children annually.” As a leader in oil and gas production, Texas bears a significant share of those costs.
Texans of faith support the EPA methane standards. We celebrate this common sense decision by the US Supreme Court and urge the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to develop a strong state implementation plan that will promote a healthy environment and stable climate where everyone can thrive.