Oil and gas methane rules: deadline extensions, relaxed flaring limits and the end of the methane fee (2025-2026) Case EPA's 2024 rules to cut methane and other pollution from oil and gas operations have been delayed and loosened in stages: an interim rule in July 2025 and a final rule in November 2025 extended compliance deadlines, an April 2026 rule relaxed limits on flaring and vent gas, and May 2026 guidance allowed some flaring past the deadline for ending it. EPA's own estimate was that the first delay alone would add 3.8 million tons of methane emissions over 2028-2038. Congress separately repealed the rule implementing the methane fee. Delays and revisions to the 2024 rules (2025-2026) EPA's 2024 rules for oil and gas (known as OOOOb and OOOOc) set methane and volatile-organic-compound standards for new and existing sources, with requirements such as leak detection and repair and replacing process controllers with zero-emission devices. On March 12, 2025 Zeldin announced the agency was reconsidering its Clean Air Act regulations for the oil and gas industry. On July 28, 2025 EPA issued an interim final rule extending compliance deadlines. An industry source confirmed the industry had requested it. EPA's own fact sheet estimated it would add 3.8 million tons of methane emissions from 2028 to 2038, equal to the emissions of nearly 25 million gasoline-powered passenger vehicles driven for one year. EPA finalized the deadline extensions on Nov. 26, 2025, citing industry concerns, raised especially by independent producers, about supply chains and logistics for measuring net heating value and continuously monitoring flares. EPA said the more realistic timelines would save an estimated $750 million in compliance costs over 11 years. On April 6, 2026 EPA released a final rule revising two technical aspects of the 2024 rules, loosening requirements for flares and vent gas. Temporary flaring during maintenance rose from up to 24 hours to up to 72 hours, with additional time allowed in exceptional circumstances. EPA describes the revisions as narrow technical changes responding to industry petitions for reconsideration that it granted in May 2024. Harvard's Environmental and Energy Law Program says the final rule reduces stringency beyond what the Trump EPA first proposed, and does not explain why EPA keeps regulating methane while finding it lacks authority over vehicle carbon dioxide and proposing it lacks authority over power-plant carbon dioxide. On May 1, 2026 EPA issued guidance saying producers may continue flaring associated gas at new oil wells in some circumstances past the May 7, 2026 deadline for ending routine flaring. The Environmental Defense Fund filed a petition for review of the April 2026 rule on June 8, 2026. Environmental groups had earlier sued over the deadline-extension rule. The methane fee and reporting In March 2025 Congress used the Congressional Review Act to repeal the rule implementing the Inflation Reduction Act's methane waste emissions charge, and prohibited EPA from collecting the charge until 2034. Taxpayers for Common Sense says the One Big Beautiful Bill Act rescinded remaining Methane Emissions Reduction Program funds and delayed the waste emissions charge by a decade, that EPA proposed in September 2025 to dismantle key elements of the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program, and that the Bureau of Land Management proposed delaying compliance deadlines for its own 2024 methane rule. What the sources do not establish The sources reviewed do not report the final status of the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program proposal, and give no measured emissions effects of the delays beyond EPA's own estimate for the first extension. Perspectives Official position — EPA and Administrator Lee Zeldin EPA says the extended deadlines are more realistic and will save an estimated $750 million in compliance costs over 11 years. It says the April 2026 revisions are two narrow technical changes responding to industry petitions that the agency had already agreed to reconsider, and that they make the rules more workable for operators while maintaining environmental protections. Critic — Environmental Defense Fund (Jon Goldstein) Goldstein said the changes weaken the methane safeguards adopted in 2024, and that flaring natural gas wastes a vital energy resource at a time when power bills are already high, and is a major source of methane and other dangerous pollution. Defender — Oil and gas industry An industry source confirmed that the industry requested the deadline extension. According to EPA, industry, especially independent producers, raised supply-chain and logistical concerns about measuring net heating value and continuously monitoring flares. An industry statement quoted by S&P Global said smart regulations are essential to sustaining the industry's progress in reducing methane emissions. Editorial read — The Author (site author) The Author's view is that delaying and loosening methane rules at industry's request wastes a resource and adds to warming. This is interpretation. EPA's own estimate of 3.8 million extra tons of methane over 2028-2038 from the first delay is documented; EPA says the changes are workable and narrow, and the court challenges are unresolved. Research notes Open leads: (1) The September 2025 proposal to dismantle key elements of the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program, mentioned by Taxpayers for Common Sense, and its final status; (2) the Bureau of Land Management's proposed delay of its own 2024 methane rule for federal lands; (3) outcome of the lawsuits over the interim rule and the April 2026 rule; (4) the all4 and Taxpayers for Common Sense posts are secondary and date the final deadline rule differently, so the Nov. 26, 2025 date follows S&P Global; (5) the methane fee is also covered in the separate entry on the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Note EPA says the changes give operators realistic timelines and flexibility, and that the April 2026 revisions are narrow technical changes responding to industry petitions that the Biden EPA had already agreed to reconsider. Environmental groups say they weaken safeguards, and the Environmental Defense Fund has sued over the April rule. Harvard's Environmental and Energy Law Program notes the final rule reduces stringency beyond what the Trump EPA first proposed. Sources [1] Harvard Environmental and Energy Law Program: EPA VOC and Methane Standards for Oil and Gas Facilities (tracker) (https://eelp.law.harvard.edu/2017/09/epa-voc-and-methane-standards-for-oil-and-gas-facilities/) · 2026-06 [2] Harvard Environmental and Energy Law Program: EPA Finalizes Weakened Standards for OOOO Rules (https://eelp.law.harvard.edu/epa-finalizes-weakened-standards-for-oooo-rules/) · 2026-04 [3] Inside Climate News: EPA Delays Compliance with Methane Rule, Fulfilling Oil and Gas Industry's Request (https://insideclimatenews.org/news/31072025/epa-delays-methane-rule-compliance/) · 2025-07-31 [4] S&P Global: US EPA extends deadline for oil producers on methane flaring, emission reporting (https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/natural-gas/120125-us-epa-extends-deadline-for-oil-producers-on-methane-flaring-emission-reporting) · 2025-12-01 [5] Taxpayers for Common Sense: EPA finalizes methane rule delay (Nov. 2025) (https://www.taxpayer.net/?p=91268) · 2025-12 [6] EPA: 2026 Final Rule to Reduce Burden on the Oil and Natural Gas Industry (https://www.epa.gov/controlling-air-pollution-oil-and-natural-gas-operations/2026-final-rule-reduce-burden-oil-and) · 2026-04-14 [7] Green Review: Revised US oil and gas rules prompt methane safeguard concerns (https://greenreview.com.au/resources/revised-us-oil-and-gas-rules-prompt-methane-safeguard-concerns/) · 2026-04-08 [8] Offshore Technology: EPA eases flaring rules for oil and gas sector beyond 2026 phase-out (https://www.offshore-technology.com/newsletters/epa-eases-rules-oil-gas-sector-phase-out) · 2026-05-04 Connections Same context — Environmental deregulation under EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin The methane rule delays are part of the broader Zeldin-era rollback, which began with his March 2025 reconsideration announcements. Related — Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program: repeated delays and the proposal to end reporting for 46 of 47 source categories (2025-2026) The proposal to suspend subpart W oil-and-gas reporting until 2034 sits alongside the methane rule delays covered there. Related — Oil and gas insiders running the energy agencies: Wright, Burgum, and the appointee pipeline An industry source confirmed that the industry requested the 2025 deadline extension; that entry covers the industry background of agency leaders. Related — One Big Beautiful Bill Act: royalty cuts, mandated lease sales, and a delayed methane fee Taxpayers for Common Sense reports that the One Big Beautiful Bill Act delayed the methane waste emissions charge by a decade, which that entry covers.