EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin says the agency will propose eliminating the Biden-era super-emitter methane program for oil and gas operations. That program lets certified third parties use satellites and aircraft to detect methane leaks of at least 100 kilograms per hour, then requires operators to investigate and fix them. The EPA estimates its broader rollback of oil and gas methane rules would save about $45 billion in compliance costs. Methane traps 84 to 87 times more heat than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period, and NASA attributes 20% to 30% of post-industrial warming to rising methane levels. Supporters of the super-emitter program say satellite monitoring turned remote sensing into enforceable action. Opponents call it ineffective and say it burdens domestic energy producers. The proposal is under White House review and follows the administration's earlier repeal of power plant greenhouse gas standards.
