EPA’S Methane Rollback Trades Our Health for Polluter Profits
By The National Climate Fellows at Change the Chamber, October 15, 2026
Change the Chamber’s statement on the EPA’s plan to roll back the 2024 methane rule, a move that would expose millions of Americans to more harmful pollution while protecting polluter profits.
Photo by Matt Mondschein/Source
Change the Chamber, a nonpartisan youth climate coalition, is infuriated by the Environmental Protection Agency's recent announcement that it plans to roll back the 2024 methane mitigation rule. This rule protects countless communities, families, and individuals living near oil and gas production facilities that would be exposed to increased methane and other harmful pollutants. Nearly one in ten Americans live in a county with over 1,000 low-producing oil and gas wells that release methane — one of the most potent greenhouse gases — along with toxins like soot, nitrogen oxides, and carbon monoxide that harm our lungs, cause cancer, and exacerbate other chronic health conditions. According to the United Nations, methane is responsible for nearly a third of the global warming we are experiencing today.
Methane mitigation has been a growing American industry that has created good-paying jobs throughout the country, many of which are now at risk. The rollback of the methane rule would also eliminate, or at least reduce, the monitoring of oil and gas wells for leaks. Monitoring for and limiting methane leaks helps reduce the $7.4 billion in health damages and more than 700 premature deaths that venting and flaring pollution causes each year. The rule was projected to prevent 1.5 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions over 2024-2038, alongside reducing other harmful air pollutants. Removing this rule will reverse many of these benefits.
No matter where we live or our occupation, we all share the same desire – a stable climate and clean air to breathe. Large fossil fuel companies own a majority of the low-producing oil and gas wells. These wells make up half of methane emissions created by the fossil fuel industry. Not holding these corporations accountable would be disastrous to the climate and could result in more dangerous weather events and the consequent economic damages. Though thoroughly aware of these disastrous consequences, oil and gas companies donated $96 million to Trump’s campaign after he asked for $1B, allowing these crucial health and environmental standards to be weakened or eliminated.
Everyone is affected by the pollutants that oil and gas wells produce, and everyone depends on our climate, especially the youth and the future generations who are inheriting the consequences of this administration. We cannot continue to allow oil and gas companies to sell our future for their quarterly profits. Change the Chamber will continue to oppose the Trump Administration’s new agenda for the Environmental Protection Agency that undermines climate rules that protect us all. We all deserve a healthy future and we will continue to fight for it.
Evey Mengelkoch, Nikita Pande, Thomas Hamed, Raquel Lesser, Youmi Chang, Kyrah Daniels, and the National Climate Fellows of Change the Chamber
Change the Chamber is a nonpartisan coalition of young adults, 100+ student groups across the country, environmental justice and frontline community groups, and other allied organizations. To support our work, donate or join our efforts!