(Rightallegiance.com) – In a decisive move on Tuesday, President Biden’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) enacted a new rule imposing a substantial tax on methane emissions within the oil and gas sector. This rule stems from Biden’s landmark climate legislation, the Inflation Reduction Act, which included a measure known as the Waste Emissions Charge. The act granted the administration the authority to determine how vigorously to implement these methane-reducing policies, and the new rule underscores the administration’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions while bolstering the United States’ climate leadership.
The methane tax will be initiated at $900 per metric ton for emissions exceeding a set performance threshold in 2024. This fee will then rise to $1,200 in 2025 and reach $1,500 per ton by 2026, with incremental increases expected to follow in subsequent years. The Waste Emissions Charge represents one of many actions Biden has undertaken to combat methane pollution, a powerful greenhouse gas with a global warming potential over 25 times that of carbon dioxide in the short term.
“The final Waste Emissions Charge is the latest in a series of actions under President Biden’s methane strategy to improve efficiency in the oil and gas sector, support American jobs, protect clean air, and reinforce U.S. leadership on the global stage,” said EPA Administrator Michael Regan in a press statement.
This new rule adds to a series of other initiatives Biden has launched to curb methane pollution. In 2021, Biden repealed a Trump-era policy that had loosened Obama-era methane regulations. By reinstating stricter standards, the administration set the stage for further tightening of methane regulations, demonstrating its commitment to counteracting climate change.
These recent moves align with global climate efforts, especially as methane is a leading contributor to atmospheric warming. Environmental advocates have voiced their support, praising Biden’s approach as a substantial step forward. “President Biden is addressing one of the most potent greenhouse gases,” stated a representative from the Clean Air Task Force. “With this rule, the U.S. is setting a vital example on the global stage.”
However, the rule has its critics. Steve Milloy, a fellow at the Energy and Environmental Legal Institute, dismissed the rule as “irrelevant.” Milloy argues that methane’s impact is minimal in comparison to other greenhouse gases like water vapor and carbon dioxide, which dominate the earth’s atmospheric composition. Milloy also believes the measure unfairly targets the oil and gas industry, while leaving other methane producers, such as agriculture, largely untouched. “The largest source of methane is actually microbes,” Milloy noted, explaining that methane from sources like livestock and wetlands contributes significantly to global methane emissions.
Milloy further claimed that Big Oil companies could potentially benefit from the regulation, as it might hinder competition from smaller firms less equipped to handle the new fees. “It’s because all these regulations cripple the competition,” he said. “Big Oil is going to be all for that.”
Critics also include some lawmakers who see the rule as detrimental to economic stability. North Carolina Republican Rep. Greg Murphy, a candidate endorsed by Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions, warned that these new fees will increase production costs and discourage investment. “Going after the oil and gas industry with this latest tax will serve to raise costs and prevent investment,” Murphy commented.
Additionally, incoming leaders have pledged to counteract Biden’s green energy policies. President-elect Donald Trump has suggested he would repeal many of the environmental policies embedded in the Inflation Reduction Act. Trump recently nominated former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin as his pick for EPA head, signaling an anticipated shift in the administration’s approach to environmental regulation. Trump’s consideration of Republican Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy for Energy Secretary further suggests a possible rollback of Biden’s climate initiatives.
As the political landscape shifts, it remains uncertain how these proposed changes will affect the future of Biden’s environmental policies. Meanwhile, the White House stands by its decision, touting the Waste Emissions Charge as a testament to the Biden administration’s resolve to advance U.S. climate leadership.
How much emissions do they allow China to spew into our atmosphere? How many metric tons of methane gas did Biden allow into our atmosphere when he blew up Russia’s under water pipeline that spewed gases for days, or weeks 🤔??? I think congress should sue Biden and make him accountable for all his evil doings !!! I’m sick and tired of this ILLEGITIMATE LEADER PUNISHING THE CITIZENS OF AMERICA 🇺🇸