Wholestory

← Climate Change

US Federal Climate Policy

The EPA has proposed cutting back the 2024 methane standards for oil and gas. It would scrap the super-emitter program, which lets certified third parties flag large leaks, let oil wells flare their gas instead of piping it to sale, and lighten the rules for low-producing wells. President Trump announced it on 27 October as a termination, but it is a proposal: the standards stay in force while comments run to 16 December. The agency projects 60 million more short tons of methane over 2027–2050, and oil and gas prices moving by a fraction of a percent. It rests on the Clean Air Act, not on February’s rescission of the endangerment finding.

The repeal of most power-plant carbon standards takes effect on 16 November, and comments on scrapping the rest close on 2 November. Challenges to both the repeal and the rescission sit undecided in the appeals court in Washington.

New York has appealed to the Second Circuit the two rulings that struck down its climate superfund law. In the Supreme Court, where the federal government argued on 5 October that federal law bars state climate suits, a ruling in Suncor v. Boulder County is expected by next summer.

New

4

The whole story6 chapters
The state of it — as of October 29, 2026

billion tonnes CO₂ per year

Electric power
Transportation
Industrial
Residential
Commercial
Energy-related CO₂ by sector, annual, as the Energy Information Administration reports it (Monthly Energy Review, tables 11.2–11.6)
  1. 1Endangerment finding rescinded
  2. 2EPA repeals power-plant rules
US energy-related carbon dioxide by sector, as the Energy Information Administration reports it. Numbered dots are the federal actions the record marks; the line after each is what followed.
1.5
US power-sector CO₂, latest full year
+0.1 since 2024
4
challenges to the endangerment rescission pending in the D.C. Circuit, none decided
26
petitioners led by New York challenging the power-plant repeal

Today

All new

The EPA Proposes Cutting Back the Methane Rules, Super-Emitter Program and All

At a Lubbock, Texas, rally on 27 October, President Trump said he was "terminating" the 2024 oil-and-gas methane standards. The EPA issued a proposal; the standards stay in force while comments run to 16 December. It would scrap the super-emitter program, in which certified third parties flag large leaks, let oil wells flare their gas instead of selling it, and lighten rules for low-producing or conventional wells. It rests on the Clean Air Act, not the endangerment rescission, and invites comment on repeal. The EPA projects 60 million more short tons of methane over 2027–2050, $45 billion in savings and price effects of a fraction of a percent, and did not monetise health or climate harms.

Read

U.S. Environmental Protection Agencyepa.gov85% credibility · not yet testedAn opening estimate from its institutional history — none of its claims checked yet.Federal Registerpublic-inspection.federalregister.gov95% credibility · not yet testedAn opening estimate from its institutional history — none of its claims checked yet.U.S. Environmental Protection Agencyepa.gov85% credibility · not yet testedAn opening estimate from its institutional history — none of its claims checked yet.U.S. Environmental Protection Agencyepa.gov85% credibility · not yet testedAn opening estimate from its institutional history — none of its claims checked yet.U.S. Environmental Protection Agencyepa.gov85% credibility · not yet testedAn opening estimate from its institutional history — none of its claims checked yet.NPRnpr.org90% credibility · not yet testedAn opening estimate from its institutional history — none of its claims checked yet.NPRnpr.org90% credibility · not yet testedAn opening estimate from its institutional history — none of its claims checked yet.The Guardiantheguardian.com90% credibility · not yet testedAn opening estimate from its institutional history — none of its claims checked yet.Gristgrist.org80% credibility · not yet testedAn opening estimate from its institutional history — none of its claims checked yet.NBC Newsnbcnews.com85% credibility · not yet testedAn opening estimate from its institutional history — none of its claims checked yet.CNBCcnbc.com80% credibility · not yet testedAn opening estimate from its institutional history — none of its claims checked yet.Center for Progressive Reformprogressivereform.org55% credibility · not yet testedAn opening estimate from its institutional history — none of its claims checked yet.
Tonight, I'm officially terminating Biden's expensive and unnecessary methane regulations to save consumers and energy producers $45 billion in costs, unlock vast quantities of Texas natural gas and produce 210 million barrels of oil.

— Donald Trump Mixed

Checked: mixed

Mixed. Both figures come from the EPA's own projections for 2027–2050; the $45 billion is modelled economic surplus, most of it industry compliance savings. But nothing was terminated: the EPA issued a proposal, and the 2024 standards stay in force while it is open for comment (EPA, FR Doc. 2026-22082).

Read

Fox Businessfoxbusiness.com60% credibility · not yet testedAn opening estimate from its institutional history — none of its claims checked yet.Gristgrist.org80% credibility · not yet testedAn opening estimate from its institutional history — none of its claims checked yet.Politico Europepolitico.com85% credibility · not yet testedAn opening estimate from its institutional history — none of its claims checked yet.NPRnpr.org90% credibility · not yet testedAn opening estimate from its institutional history — none of its claims checked yet.Federal Registerpublic-inspection.federalregister.gov95% credibility · not yet testedAn opening estimate from its institutional history — none of its claims checked yet.U.S. Environmental Protection Agencyepa.gov85% credibility · not yet testedAn opening estimate from its institutional history — none of its claims checked yet.

Earlier this month

4
New

New York Appeals the Rulings Against Its Climate Superfund Law

New York has appealed to the Second Circuit both federal rulings that struck down its Climate Change Superfund Act, the Times Union reported on 26 October. Judges in Albany, on 31 August, and Manhattan, on 23 September, had held that the Clean Air Act preempts the $75 billion cost-recovery law. Neither report gives the filing dates. The reports also differ on who brought the Manhattan case. Ballotpedia names the Justice Department and the EPA. The Times Union says the notice of appeal was filed in a suit by the US Chamber of Commerce and three industry groups.

Read

Times Union (Albany)timesunion.com80% credibility · not yet testedAn opening estimate from its institutional history — none of its claims checked yet.Ballotpedianews.ballotpedia.org80% credibility · not yet testedAn opening estimate from its institutional history — none of its claims checked yet.

The Methane Rules: Delayed, Argued in Court, and Next in Line for Repeal

The EPA's December 2025 delay of the 2024 oil-and-gas methane standards, pushing compliance back by up to 18 months, was set for argument in the federal appeals court in Washington on 14 October, in Environmental Defense Fund v. Zeldin, brought by EDF and 12 groups. The agency's own fact sheet for the first delay put the forgone reductions at 3.8 million tons of methane over 2028-2038. On 7 October Administrator Zeldin said a proposal to roll the standards back further, including scrapping the super-emitter program, was "days not weeks away"; as of 20 October no text had been released.

Read

Environmental Defense Fundedf.org55% credibility · not yet testedAn opening estimate from its institutional history — none of its claims checked yet.U.S. Environmental Protection Agencyepa.gov85% credibility · not yet testedAn opening estimate from its institutional history — none of its claims checked yet.Oil & Gas Journalogj.com75% credibility · not yet testedAn opening estimate from its institutional history — none of its claims checked yet.PB Oil and Gas Magazinepboilandgasmagazine.com60% credibility · not yet testedAn opening estimate from its institutional history — none of its claims checked yet.Inside Climate Newsinsideclimatenews.org85% credibility · not yet testedAn opening estimate from its institutional history — none of its claims checked yet.Federal Registerpublic-inspection.federalregister.gov95% credibility · not yet testedAn opening estimate from its institutional history — none of its claims checked yet.

The Supreme Court Hears Whether Federal Law Bars State Climate Suits, With Washington on the Oil Companies' Side

The Supreme Court heard Suncor Energy v. Boulder County (No. 25-170) on 5 October: whether federal law precludes state-law claims for harm caused by greenhouse-gas emissions' effect on the climate, and whether the Court has jurisdiction. The Principal Deputy Solicitor General, Sarah Harris, argued for the United States in support of Suncor and Exxon, which pressed constitutional, Clean Air Act and foreign-affairs preemption. Justice Alito is not taking part, so a 4-4 split is possible. A decision is expected by next summer and bears on about three dozen similar suits by state, local and tribal governments.

Read

Supreme Court of the United Statessupremecourt.gov98% credibility · not yet testedAn opening estimate from its institutional history — none of its claims checked yet.SCOTUSblogscotusblog.com90% credibility · not yet testedAn opening estimate from its institutional history — none of its claims checked yet.Just Securityjustsecurity.org75% credibility · not yet testedAn opening estimate from its institutional history — none of its claims checked yet.University of Colorado Bouldercolorado.edu70% credibility · not yet testedAn opening estimate from its institutional history — none of its claims checked yet.Bloomberg Lawnews.bloomberglaw.com85% credibility · not yet testedAn opening estimate from its institutional history — none of its claims checked yet.

States and Cities Take the Power-Plant Repeal to Court

New York led 25 co-petitioners to the federal appeals court in Washington on 1 October, to overturn the EPA's repeal of most of the 2024 power-plant carbon standards: 21 states including New York, the District of Columbia, Pennsylvania's governor, and the cities of Chicago, Denver and New York. (Ballotpedia's "21 states and the District of Columbia" counts the same filing.) Six health and environmental groups had filed on 17 September, and the court has joined the cases. The petition seeks no stay, and no court has ruled. The EPA held hearings that day on rescinding the remaining standards.

Read

California Attorney General (Department of Justice)oag.ca.gov85% credibility · not yet testedAn opening estimate from its institutional history — none of its claims checked yet.Office of the New York State Attorney Generalag.ny.gov75% credibility · not yet testedAn opening estimate from its institutional history — none of its claims checked yet.Sabin Center for Climate Change Law (Columbia Law School)climate.law.columbia.edu85% credibility · not yet testedAn opening estimate from its institutional history — none of its claims checked yet.Utility Diveutilitydive.com70% credibility · not yet testedAn opening estimate from its institutional history — none of its claims checked yet.Spectrum Newsspectrumlocalnews.com70% credibility · not yet testedAn opening estimate from its institutional history — none of its claims checked yet.Ballotpedianews.ballotpedia.org80% credibility · not yet testedAn opening estimate from its institutional history — none of its claims checked yet.

This quarter

4

Two Federal Courts Strike New York’s Climate Superfund Law

Federal judges in New York’s Northern and Southern Districts ruled, on 31 August and 23 September, that the Clean Air Act preempts the state’s Climate Change Superfund Act — a $75 billion cost-recovery programme aimed at companies responsible for more than a billion tons of greenhouse-gas emissions from 2000 to 2024. The first case was brought by 22 states, trade associations and a coal producer; the second by the federal government. Both courts held that the EPA’s rescission of its 2009 endangerment finding changed nothing. The second also held the law barred as applied to foreign producers.

Read

Sabin Center for Climate Change Law (Columbia Law School)climate.law.columbia.edu85% credibility · not yet testedAn opening estimate from its institutional history — none of its claims checked yet.Ballotpedianews.ballotpedia.org80% credibility · not yet testedAn opening estimate from its institutional history — none of its claims checked yet.

The EPA Strikes Most of the 2024 Power-Plant Rules, and Proposes to Strike the Rest

The Environmental Protection Agency finalised a rule removing most of the 2024 Carbon Pollution Standards for American power plants — every limit on existing plants, and the carbon-capture standards for new base-load gas turbines — effective 16 November; the efficiency standards for new turbines stay. Lee Zeldin announced it at a G20 energy ministerial in Houston, claiming $310 billion in savings. The same day it **proposed** rescinding every remaining standard, arguing that after its repeal of the 2009 endangerment finding the Clean Air Act does not let it regulate power-plant emissions on climate grounds; comments close 2 November. It projects coal production for power to rise more than tenfold. Every figure is the agency's own.

Read

U.S. Government Publishing Office (GovInfo)govinfo.gov95% credibility · not yet testedAn opening estimate from its institutional history — none of its claims checked yet.U.S. Government Publishing Office (GovInfo)govinfo.gov95% credibility · not yet testedAn opening estimate from its institutional history — none of its claims checked yet.U.S. Environmental Protection Agencyepa.gov85% credibility · not yet testedAn opening estimate from its institutional history — none of its claims checked yet.ABC Newsabcnews.com85% credibility · not yet testedAn opening estimate from its institutional history — none of its claims checked yet.
Americans will see a decrease in electricity prices, but this is just the beginning.

— Lee Zeldin

Read

U.S. Environmental Protection Agencyepa.gov85% credibility · not yet testedAn opening estimate from its institutional history — none of its claims checked yet.U.S. Energy Information Administrationeia.gov95% credibility · not yet testedAn opening estimate from its institutional history — none of its claims checked yet.ABC Newsabcnews.com85% credibility · not yet testedAn opening estimate from its institutional history — none of its claims checked yet.
Models continue to show that GHG emissions from power plants have no material impact on global climate change. In fact, if all carbon dioxides were eliminated tomorrow, there would be no meaningful climate impact.

— U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Read

U.S. Environmental Protection Agencyepa.gov85% credibility · not yet testedAn opening estimate from its institutional history — none of its claims checked yet.Utility Diveutilitydive.com70% credibility · not yet testedAn opening estimate from its institutional history — none of its claims checked yet.U.S. Government Publishing Office (GovInfo)govinfo.gov95% credibility · not yet testedAn opening estimate from its institutional history — none of its claims checked yet.

Earlier this year

5

The EPA Rescinds the Endangerment Finding and Every Vehicle Greenhouse-Gas Standard

The Environmental Protection Agency published its final rule rescinding the 2009 finding that greenhouse gases endanger public health and welfare — the legal foundation of federal climate regulation — and repealing every greenhouse-gas standard for cars, trucks and their engines, effective 20 April. Its stated basis is that Clean Air Act section 202(a)(1) does not let it set standards in response to global climate change; it dropped the climate-science argument it had proposed. By its own estimate the change adds 410 million tonnes of CO₂-equivalent a year by 2055, 8.3 billion tonnes over 2027–2055, while cutting vehicle technology costs by $0.73–1.14 trillion. Both figures are the agency's.

Read

U.S. Government Publishing Office (GovInfo)govinfo.gov95% credibility · not yet testedAn opening estimate from its institutional history — none of its claims checked yet.U.S. Environmental Protection Agencyepa.gov85% credibility · not yet testedAn opening estimate from its institutional history — none of its claims checked yet.
Covered since Feb 2026Read it from the start →