The Supreme Court on Friday allowed the Environmental Protection Agency to continue to enforce a rule allowing the agency to cut methane emissions from oil and gas facilities.
The high court allowed the agency to continue by denying a request by Republican officials in 24 states to halt the rule, on the argument the EPA lacks the authority to enforce the emissions cutbacks.
The Supreme Court did not uphold the rule but rather allowed the EPA to continue enforcing it while other lawsuits work their way through the judicial process.
Environmental Protection Agency
- 40 CFR Part 60
- [EPA-HQ-OAR-2021-0317; FRL-8510-01-OAR]
- RIN 2060-AV16
SUMMARY:
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is finalizing multiple actions to reduce air pollution emissions from the Crude Oil and Natural Gas source category. First, the EPA is finalizing revisions to the new source performance standards (NSPS) regulating greenhouse gases (GHGs) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emissions for the Crude Oil and Natural Gas source category pursuant to the Clean Air Act (CAA). Second, the EPA is finalizing emission guidelines (EG) under the CAA for states to follow in developing, submitting, and implementing state plans to establish performance standards to limit GHG emissions from existing sources (designated facilities) in the Crude Oil and Natural Gas source category. Third, the EPA is finalizing several related actions stemming from the joint resolution of Congress, adopted on June 30, 2021, under the Congressional Review Act (CRA), disapproving the EPA's final rule titled, “Oil and Natural Gas Sector: Emission Standards for New, Reconstructed, and Modified Sources Review,” September 14, 2020 (“2020 Policy Rule”). Fourth, the EPA is finalizing a protocol under the general provisions for optical gas imaging (OGI).
