GreenLatinos warns planned rollback would weaken safeguards against harmful oil and gas pollution in communities already bearing disproportionate health and climate burdens
The announcement marks the latest step toward weakening federal safeguards designed to reduce methane and harmful air pollution from oil and gas operations. The Trump administration has already delayed implementation of portions of the 2024 rule, while the broader rollback announced today has not yet been proposed or finalized.
GreenLatinos strongly opposes this action.
Methane is a powerful climate pollutant that is more than 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide over 20 years. It is often released alongside smog-forming volatile organic compounds and toxic chemicals such as benzene, a known carcinogen. Together, these pollutants contribute to asthma attacks, respiratory illnesses, heart disease, and other serious health impacts.
Latino communities bear a disproportionate share of this pollution burden. Approximately 1.6 million Latinos live within a half mile of oil and gas wells, where exposure to harmful air pollution is a daily reality. Millions more live in states such as Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, and California, where oil and gas development continues to impact air quality and public health. Across the country, pollution from fossil fuel venting and flaring contributes to more than 700 premature deaths and 73,000 childhood asthma attacks each year.
The EPA's 2024 methane standards were projected to reduce methane emissions from covered oil and gas sources by 80 percent, preventing 58 million tons of methane pollution through 2038, the equivalent of removing nearly one billion cars from the road for a year. The standards would also prevent 16 million tons of smog-forming pollution and 590,000 tons of hazardous air pollutants from entering the air communities breathe.
Weakening these safeguards would increase pollution, raise health costs, and worsen climate impacts at a time when affordable technologies already exist to reduce methane emissions. Working families should not be forced to pay the price for rolling back protections that keep our air cleaner, our communities healthier, and our climate safer.
Following today's announcement, GreenLatinos' federal and state leaders issued the following statements:
“EPA’s plan to roll back methane safeguards would be another handout to the oil and gas industry paid for with the health of our communities. Latino families already live disproportionately close to oil and gas facilities and bear the burden of the toxic air pollution released alongside methane. Weakening these protections would mean more preventable pollution in communities already carrying far too much. EPA should be strengthening protections for frontline communities, not dismantling them.” Irene Burga, Climate Justice & Clean Air Director, GreenLatinos
"Colorado families are already breathing the consequences. The Denver Metro and North Front Range region remains in severe violation of federal ozone standards and is nearing extreme nonattainment. Oil and gas operations contribute nearly one quarter of the man-made ozone pollution in the region. Weakening methane protections undoes years of collaborative progress among regulators, industry, and communities. Colorado's Environmental Justice Act declares a clean environment is a right; we deserve policies that cut pollution, protect public health, and ensure clean air for every family." Patricia Garcia-Nelson, Colorado Fossil Fuel Just Transition Advocate, GreenLatinos Colorado
"In southeastern New Mexico, communities in the Permian Basin are on the front lines of methane pollution. The Permian Basin emits more methane than any other oil and gas basin in the country, placing nearby communities at increased risk from harmful air pollution while accelerating the climate crisis. Weakening methane protections means asking frontline communities to bear even greater costs. New Mexicans deserve strong safeguards that protect our health, our air, and our future." Carlos Matutes, New Mexico Program Director, GreenLatinos New Mexico
"Texas is home to millions of people living near oil and gas infrastructure, many of whom already face disproportionate exposure to air pollution and its health impacts. Weakening methane protections means more pollution in our communities, greater health risks for our families, and more climate impacts across our state. Texans deserve clean air and strong safeguards that put people before polluter profits." Rogelio Meixueiro, Texas Community Advocate, GreenLatinos Texas
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Acerca de GreenLatinos –
(NOTA: GreenLatinos es UNA PALABRA) GreenLatinos convoca a una comunidad activa de líderes ambientales, de conservación y de justicia climática, arraigada en el poder y la sabiduría de nuestra cultura, unida para impulsar nuestras prioridades y motivada a asegurar nuestra liberación política, económica, cultural y ambiental.
