Media Contact:

Justin Wasser, 202.753.7016, jwasser@earthworks.org

Statement by Earthworks Policy Director Lauren Pagel:

“This Congressional attack on the Waste Emissions Charge is nothing more than a handout to corporate polluters at the expense of American taxpayers. The charge only applies to companies that refuse to take basic steps to cut methane — pollution that harms health, communities, and climate while costing taxpayers billions in lost resources.

“Fossil fuel companies have promised for years to reduce methane pollution, but continue to fail to make meaningful reductions. Congress must stand with the American people, not polluters, by rejecting this reckless rollback.”

Background: Republican members of Congress introduced today a Congressional Review Act resolution (CRA) to repeal an Environmental Protection Agency rule requiring oil and gas companies to report methane emissions and assessing a fee only on the largest polluters (those emitting 25,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent or more) if those companies fail to comply with federal standards. The fee is known as the Waste Emission Charge (WEC). This methane fee is a commonsense measure to cut excessive and easily avoidable waste, protect public health from harmful pollution, and hold the largest oil and gas polluters accountable. Reducing methane pollution is the fastest, most cost-effective way to immediately slow our current rate of global warming.