Week Ahead: Methane Rule Repeal Expected to Surface in Senate

Bloomberg BNA covers the possible repeal of an Obama-era rule regulating methane emissions on public lands, with support coming from a coalition of organizations including CEI.

The Senate will try to beat the clock during the week of May 8 in a potential Congressional Review Act vote to repeal an Obama-era rule regulating methane emissions on public lands.

Lawmakers are under pressure to hold a vote on methane ahead of a looming deadline for rolling back so-called “midnight regulations” issued in the waning months of President Barack Obama’s term. The CRA resolution of disapproval cannot be subject to a filibuster and requires only a simple majority.

The Senate can only use the CRA to disapprove of Obama-era rules during the first 60 legislative days of this session, a deadline the Senate is scheduled to hit later in the week. Congress has already used the CRA to nullify a number of Obama-era regulations, including a stream buffer zone regulation that limited the placement of mining waste in streams.

The Interior Department rule forces energy companies to curb emissions of methane escaping from wells and pipelines on public land. Most Republicans, joined by the Competitive Enterprise Institute, Americans for Tax Reform and other opponents, argue it will decrease energy production on federal lands and lead to fewer revenues from royalties and higher energy costs, as well as lost jobs.

Read the full article at Bloomberg BNA.