In a decisive move, the U.S. Congress has repealed the Biden administration’s natural gas tax, marking a significant shift in the nation’s energy policy. This action underscores a commitment to bolstering American energy independence and alleviating financial burdens on consumers.
The natural gas tax, introduced under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, aimed to curb methane emissions—a potent greenhouse gas—by imposing financial penalties on oil and gas producers exceeding specific emission thresholds. The fee was structured to start at $900 per metric ton of methane in 2024, escalating to $1,500 by 2026. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized the associated regulations in late 2024, setting the stage for implementation.
Utilizing the Congressional Review Act (CRA), which permits Congress to nullify federal regulations within a certain timeframe, lawmakers moved swiftly to dismantle the methane fee. The House of Representatives passed the resolution with a 220-206 vote on February 26, 2025, followed by a 52-47 Senate vote on February 27. The resolution now awaits President Donald Trump’s signature, which is anticipated promptly.
The repeal has garnered praise from industry stakeholders and political figures who argue that the tax would have stifled energy production and increased costs for consumers. Anne Bradbury, CEO of the American Exploration and Production Council, stated,
“While American oil and gas producers are laser-focused on continuing to reduce emissions, it’s critical to undo these punitive implementing rules while we continue to work with Congress to repeal the underlying statute for the tax that risks driving up energy costs.”
https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/energy/senate-sends-legislation-block-bidens-natural-gas-tax-president-trump
Senator John Hoeven of North Dakota, a leading proponent of the repeal, emphasized the importance of energy affordability and security:
“American households and businesses depend every day on access to affordable and reliable energy. The best way to bring down prices for U.S. consumers is to increase supply.”
https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases/hoeven-pfluger-introduce-cra-resolution-to-block-natural-gas-tax-reduce-energy-costs-and-boost-us-energy-production
Conversely, critics contend that eliminating the methane fee undermines efforts to combat climate change by allowing unchecked emissions of a highly potent greenhouse gas. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island expressed concern that the resolution would “raise energy prices and weaken environmental quality for consumers.”
The repeal of the natural gas tax reflects a broader legislative trend from the Trump administration, favoring the expansion of domestic oil and gas production. Proponents argue that reducing regulatory and financial obstacles will lead to increased energy independence, job creation, and economic growth. This legislative action aligns with other initiatives aimed at promoting fossil fuel industries, such as expanding drilling rights and reducing environmental oversight.
As the resolution awaits presidential approval, its enactment is poised to reshape the landscape of American energy policy, prioritizing economic considerations and energy autonomy over regulatory measures targeting environmental concerns.
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The biggest mistake here is that while methane is a GHG in the laboratory in a standard dry atmosphere, it isn’t in the real world. It has two narrow IR absorption bands, both small in quantitative amount because methane is a trace gas. Both bands are completely swamped by much wider and much taller (meaning more IR absorption in absolute terms) water vapor emission bands. Have posted the scientific reference several times before.
This was just a Biden effort to curtail natgas production. Nothing realistic about methane per se.
Good that Congress did its review job. Let’s see, Zelenskyy got spanked this morning, the English offical US language EO is this afternoon, so probably time to sign the Congressional CRA decision before dinner.
Indeed. A “potent greenhouse gas” it is not.
Methane CH4 absorbs and emits radiation at a wavelength of 8 micron. The Earths surface (including oceans) radiates at an average wavelength of 10 micron (in the range 9.5 to 11.5 micron). CH4 in the atmosphere (of which there is only about 1.7 ppm) does not absorb radiation from the surface. It is not a GHG and it is not more a more powerful GHG than CO2 (which also is a trace gas causing no warming). The idea of CH4 being more powerful than CO2 comes from the wrong assumption that CH4 burns to give 1*CO2 plus 2*H2O (which does absorb radiation but is officially not a GHG). CH4 can not burn in the atmosphere as it needs an ignition temperature of about 650C and and a minimum concentration of about 5% to sustain combustion. CH4 can be oxidised by ozone O3 in a lightning strike but the forms the highly soluble CH3OH + O2.
CH4 doesn’t need to be burnt up by lightning. Plain old ozone created by UV from the sun does an adequate job instantly reacting should the molecules happen to meet.
https://niwa.co.nz/sites/default/files/import/attachments/detergent.pdf
A tax on RI would be better or a sunset clause on small states below a certain sq mile threshold.
It is a silly regressive tax. They should know it has very little to do with global warming, just a desire to force use of wind and solar.
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island expressed concern that the resolution would “raise energy prices…”
So taxing methane emissions would have lowered energy prices? What…?
And this explanation from the AP:
The fee on methane releases was aimed at pushing companies to adopt better practices to curb emissions and make their operations more efficient.
Because government is so good at promoting efficiency. Has the AP been paying attention to the daily litany of waste, fraud, and abuse that DOGE has been finding? Has Sheldon? Are they blind, deaf, and dumb?
> Are they blind, deaf, and dumb?
No, just terminally dumb!
“Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island expressed concern… “
Well, bless his little heart! Someone took away the gravy bowl.
Sheldon Whitehouse is emblematic of the entrenched Democrat political establishment that dominates the northeastern states in America. He has made a career out of fearmongering the dangers of climate change regardless of what the actual physical science has to say about it. While there is some justifiable concern in this part of the country about acid rain and infrastructure corrosion, the link to climate change has always been tenuous at best. Politicians like Whitehouse, however, never miss a beat, banging the drum to keep their voters worried that Chicken Little really did exist and the sky really did fall. So we must be vigilant or perish…
I wonder if 4 years is enough to unravel all this damage done by the left?
At the speed 47 is moving, possibly. I can only hope.
At the speed EO’s can be rescinded by the next president by non-democratic and non-judicial processes, we need to find something a bit better…
“While American oil and gas producers are laser-focused on continuing to reduce emissions….”
Why?
‘Emissions’ = leaks. You can’t sell stuff you don’t deliver to a customer.
But that was the point of the tax. Less émissions means more méthane to sell to customers. But now the oil and gas companies can avoid fixing leaks so there will be less gas to sell to customers.
If the collection of methane for reselling is economical it will be harvested. Conversely, it will increase energy costs as “somebody” has to pay for it.
A tax to fix leaks….
If it was worth anything they wouldn’t let it leak.
They fix the leaks, and get taxed on it. !
Must be a leftist idea… bizarre.
We are all now dumber for having read your comment. Amazing.
The point of any tax is to raise revenue for the government. All other arguments made as to other results of a tax are agenda driven, which is the major problem of citizens who must pay the tax.
When governments whose agenda is to “Save The Earth” start to tax on that basis, its an endless burden on citizens with no measurable results.
Correct – if the previous administration wanted to reduce methane emissions during natural gas production, they could have simply legislated limits on how much could leak. The tax was just a way to make them money and make natural gas less competitive.
Methane: The Irrelevant Greenhouse Gas
Dr. Thomas Sheahen, MIT Physicist
Watts Up With That; April 11, 2014
Tis a shame Congress and Trump can’t get rid of Washington State’s “Climate Tax”.
As Washington State becomes more expensive the “push” factor grows. WA is #47 on one popular list. Pennsylvania is looking better at #6. The southcentral region, east of the ridges might work. {Places higher than 6, have nasty weather for old folks.}
The entirety of the Inflation Creation Act of 2022 has to be quashed. Completely removed. Thrown in the trash.
Common sense and science prevail. I hope they keep it up