(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Today EDF Action and over 75 other environmental groups sent a letter to Congress urging members to oppose H.J.Res 35 and S.J.Res 12, which propose rolling back the methane polluter fee implementing rule. The full letter is available below:
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February 25, 2025
Re: Oppose H.J.Res 35 and S.J.Res 12 which would weaken the methane polluter fee
Dear Members of Congress,
The groups listed below strongly oppose and urge you to vote “no” on H.J.Res 35 and S.J.Res 12 to roll back the implementing rule for the Methane Emissions Reduction Program’s Waste Emissions Charge, or “methane polluter fee.” The methane polluter fee is a practical, cost-effective solution to reduce waste of our natural resources. Rolling back implementation of this program would increase energy waste, cause uncertainty for operators, impair public health, and imperil America’s position as a global leader on reducing methane pollution.
Methane leaks from the oil and gas industry are a major waste of valuable energy resources at a time of growing global energy demand. As the primary component of natural gas, cutting methane means preventing the waste of energy. In the U.S. alone, enough natural gas is wasted from leaks, venting and flaring every year to meet the annual needs of 14 million households1. The methane polluter fee corrects this market failure by incentivizing operators to repair leaks and capture gas so that product is no longer wasted. This in turn will benefit American consumers by keeping methane pollution out of the atmosphere.
Leading companies have already pledged to limit waste below the methane polluter fee’s thresholds and would avoid being subjected to the fee if those commitments are met. The fee only targets large producers that exceed emissions thresholds, while smaller companies with lower emission profiles are not subject to the fee. Operators using readily available, cost-effective solutions to reduce methane pollution can avoid the fee entirely. Many are already investing in many of these technologies, such as advanced monitoring techniques and zero-emitting process controllers. The International Energy Agency estimates that 50% of oil and gas methane emissions can be avoided at no net cost, making these reductions both feasible and practical. Because methane traps more than 80 times as much heat as carbon dioxide, this reduction in emissions would also reduce dangerous impacts of climate change, such as increased storms, droughts and heat-related deaths.
Reducing methane pollution also helps protect the health and safety of communities living near oil and gas facilities. Methane pollution is released alongside other dangerous pollutants, such as smog-causing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which can worsen asthma, cardiovascular disease and respiratory disease as well as toxic air pollutants such as benzene which is known to cause cancer. Over 10.1 million people in the United States, including 645,400 children under the age of 5, live within a half-mile of active oil and gas production, breathing air polluted with methane and its co-pollutants. The methane polluter fee reduces these toxic co-pollutants and improves air quality for oil and gas communities.
Lastly, the methane polluter fee is helping to boost good-paying American jobs that can’t be offshored. Innovative new methane mitigation companies are already scaling up and ready to meet the challenge. According to a new February 2025 analysis, there are 268 manufacturing and service companies in the methane mitigation industry paying competitive wages. In fact, the number of employee locations grew 39% and the number of firms grew nearly 24% in just the last three years. The methane mitigation service sector in the U.S. has doubled in size since 2017, and the manufacturing industry has grown by 88% since 2014.
The methane polluter fee is a critical tool to reduce the waste of natural gas, limit pollution in local communities, and drive America forward as a global leader on methane. For these reasons we urge you to oppose H.J.Res 35 and S.J.Res 12 and protect the methane polluter fee implementing rule.
Sincerely,
Alamosa Riverkeeper
Alaska Community Action on Toxics
Black Warrior Riverkeeper
Breathe Utah
Change the Chamber
Cherokee Concerned Citizens
Citizens for Clean Air, Grand Junction
Clean Air Council
Clean Air Task Force
Clean Water Action
Climate Action Campaign
Climate Cabinet
Climate Justice Alliance
Conservatives for Responsible Stewardship
Cook Inletkeeper
Coosa River Basin Initiative
Dakota Resource Council
Diné C.A.R.E.
Earthjustice
Earthworks
Elders Climate Action
Environment Texas
Environmental Defense Action Fund
Environmental Law & Policy Center
Environmental Protection Network
Extinction Rebellion Houston
GreenLatinos
Gunpowder RIVERKEEPER
Health Care Without Harm
Healthy Air and Water Colorado
Healthy Gulf
Invest in Louisiana
League of Conservation Voters
Liveable Arlington
Mi Familia En Acción
Mi Familia Vota
Micah 6:8 Mission
Michigan Clinicians for Climate Action
Milwaukee Riverkeeper
Moms Clean Air Force
Mormon Environmental Stewardship Alliance
National Wildlife Federation
Natural Resources Defense Council
New Mexico Interfaith Power and Light
North Dakota Native Vote
NY/NJ Baykeeper
Oceana
Ohio Environmental Council Action Fund
Oilfield Witness
PennEnvironment
Physicians for Social Responsibility PA
Public Land Solutions
Rachel Carson Council
RE Sources
Riverkeeper
Rocky Mountain Farmers Union
Seneca Lake Guardian
Sierra Club
Sierra Club, Lone Star Chapter
Snake River Waterkeeper
Southern Environmental Law Center
Texas Campaign for the Environment
Texas Impact
Texas Permian Future Generations
Third Act
Third Act Texas
Three Rivers Waterkeeper
Union of Concerned Scientists
Vet Voice Foundation
Ward 8 Woods Conservancy
Waterkeeper Alliance
Waterkeepers Chesapeake
Western Leaders Network
Western Organization of Resource Councils
Willamette Riverkeeper
WV Headwaters Waterkeeper
Young, Gifted & Green