House Strikes Back at Methane Fee
Here’s what you need to know:
- On February 26, 2025, the House passed H.J. Res 35, 220-206-1, targeting the EPA’s methane fee rule.
- The Waste Emissions Charge (WEC), a “natural gas tax” from the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, hits oil and gas with fees starting at $900/ton in 2024, rising to $1,500 by 2026.
- Next up on the agenda is the Senate vote; if passed, it will then go to President Trump which he will likely sign.
- This is about keeping American energy strong… methane regs shouldn’t kneecap our producers and make us reliant on importing dirty hydrocarbons from countries with no environmental legislation or oversight.
The House just threw a lifeline to American energy. On February 26, 2025, lawmakers voted 220-206-1 to pass H.J. Res 35, a Congressional Review Act resolution aimed at killing the EPA’s rule enforcing the Biden administration’s methane fee. This isn’t over--the Senate and White House are next--but it’s a bold stand for the oil and gas backbone of our economy.
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The fee, born in the Inflation Reduction Act (otherwise known as the green new blank check) slaps big producers with charges for methane emissions: $900 per ton in 2024, up to $1,500 by 2026. The EPA’s November 2024 rule made it real, but critics led by Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX) say it’s a tax that strangles an industry already feeding families and powering homes. Even some Democrats, like Texas Reps. Cuellar and Gonzalez, crossed the aisle, proving energy isn’t a partisan issue when jobs and energy security are on the line.
If H.J. Res 35 clears the Senate and President Trump, the EPA rule is toast--stopping the fee in its tracks without touching the law itself. The Senate’s a toss-up, but a veto from President Trump will be a stretch, but the message is clear: America’s energy producers need room to thrive, not more D.C. red tape.
Methane matters… sure it’s stout, but we don’t need a punitive tax killing small operators in Texas or Oklahoma when technology and continued innovation’s are already cutting emissions by orders of magnitudes. This vote signals a fight for affordable energy over climate tension. If it sticks, it’s a win for the rigs and the workers who keep America running. Senate’s up—let’s see if they back our energy future.