The Biden administration has taken a significant step in its efforts to combat climate change by issuing a final rule aimed at curbing methane leaks from oil and gas drilling on federal and tribal lands. Methane, a potent greenhouse gas that contributes significantly to global warming, is a primary component of natural gas and a major concern for environmental advocates.
The rule, issued by the Interior Department's Bureau of Land Management, will tighten limits on gas flaring on federal lands and require energy companies to improve methods for detecting methane leaks. This action is part of a broader methane-reduction plan that targets emissions from existing oil and gas wells nationwide, rather than just focusing on new wells as previous regulations have done.
