Republican states sue EPA over ‘methane fee’ implementation

A group of 23 Republican-led states is suing the Biden administration over its implementation of a fee for excess methane emissions imposed on the oil and gas industry.

The fees were written into the law in 2022 as part of the Democrats’ sprawling climate, tax and health care bill.

The law seeks to reduce methane emissions from the oil and gas sector by charging producers for methane emissions while also providing funding to help them bring their emissions down.

The lawsuit, led by Texas, goes after an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulation implementing the fee.

The suit says the EPA rule “exceeds the agency’s statutory authority and otherwise is arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, and not in accordance with law.”

“Over the past four years I have opposed the Biden Administration more than 100 times to stop its radical attempts to undermine the law. I am positive this last-minute effort to harm the energy industry will be halted as well,” Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) said in a written statement.

“In only four days, when President-elect Trump resumes office, America will no longer be burdened by a runaway bureaucracy intent on destroying our liberties,” he added.

The EPA estimates the program will prevent a total of 1.2 million metric tons of methane from entering the atmosphere, with climate gains equivalent to taking nearly 8 million gas-powered cars off the road for a year.

Republican lawmakers have also indicated they will try to overturn the policy via legislation — as they now control both the House and Senate and will take control of the White House next week.

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