Should the U.S. block the EPA’s rule imposing waste emissions charges on petroleum and natural gas systems?
H.J. Res. 35 would stop the EPA from charging fees to oil and gas companies for their pollution emissions. Currently, the EPA has rules that require these companies to pay when they release harmful emissions into the environment. If this resolution passes, these rules would be canceled, meaning the EPA would lose its power to charge these fees. This is part of a bigger effort to prevent the government from imposing financial penalties on fossil fuel companies for their emissions.
Sponsor: Rep. August Pfluger (Republican, Texas, District 11)
View full bill text ➔
How do you feel?
Oppose
Support
Opponents say
• "We are disappointed in Congress’ misguided attempt to get rid of the waste emissions charge. Both the waste emissions charge and the Methane Emissions Reduction Program as a whole are important pieces that will create high-quality jobs while providing energy security by reducing the waste of natural gas. Methane reduction and mitigation has been met with wide bipartisan support for its benefits to public health and the climate, and we call on Congress to reject this attempt to get rid of a critical tool to achieve those benefits." Source: Reece Rushing, U.S. Federal Policy Director at Clean Air Task Force
• "What this says is Republicans don’t give a damn about protecting public health, about conserving important energy resources [and] about achieving energy independence and dominance,” Parenteau said. “If they really did, they would double down on the investments of the IRA, 80 percent of which are going to Republican districts.” Rick Duke, who served as the U.S. deputy special envoy for climate under President Joe Biden, warned that rolling back the methane fee would hurt the competitiveness of U.S. liquefied natural gas exports. “This is the definition of self-destructive,” Duke said. “We have a carefully negotiated set of standards, plus a backstop fee legislated by Congress that strong-foots American LNG exporters… This also is something which ensures, over the long haul, that American LNG has a competitive advantage relative to dirty suppliers such as Russia." Source: Inside Climate News
Proponents say
• "As part of his war on energy, former President Biden took radical steps to end fossil fuels during his administration which hurt the hardworking energy producers in my district who have worked diligently to increase production while fueling our allies abroad," said Rep. August Pfluger (R-Texas), who is leading the House CRA effort with Rep. Jodey Arrington (R-Texas). The methane rule is a part of a suite of regulatory actions finalized by the Biden administration to address climate change and limit emissions of a greenhouse gas that is considered by many scientists to be a "super polluter." Hill Republicans, and many fossil fuel groups, are particularly motivated to get rid of the fee. They have argued that the program amounts to an unfair tax on natural gas producers and that the fossil fuel industry already goes to great lengths to limit methane emissions. “The Waste Emissions Charge is just another unnecessary and wasteful regulation levied by the Biden EPA to go after oil and gas — the lifeblood of our economy," said Arrington, chair of the House Budget Committee." Source: Rep. August Pfluger (Republican, Texas, District 11), Press Release
• "The Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA) appreciates and supports Senator Hoeven’s and Congressman Pfluger’s leadership to overturn the EPA’s Waste Emissions Charge (Methane Tax) regulations. The Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution introduced today will allow Congress to nullify the regulations the Biden Administration established to implement the misguided methane tax. The Biden Administration and Democrats in Congress passed the methane tax to single out and punish the oil and natural gas industry despite its already burdensome EPA regulatory framework. The tax was passed without appropriate understanding of its impact or industry safeguards. IPAA has always opposed the methane tax and believe it is simply a tax designed to hamper American oil and gas production. We encourage Congress to work with the Trump Administration to eliminate this unnecessary tax on American oil and natural gas producers as soon as possible." Source: Independent Petrolum Association of America’s President & CEO Jeff Eshelman, as reported by World Oil
- Republicans seek quick death of IRA methane fee (Press Release)
- Biden EPA to charge first-ever ‘methane fee’ for emissions waste by oil and gas companies (AP News)
- Sources of Greenhouse Gas Emissions (EPA)
- Only 57 producers are responsible for 80% of all fossil fuel and cement CO2 emissions since 2016 – new report (University of Oxf
- Rep. August Pfluger’s Largest Donors (OpenSecrets)
