Methane is a powerful climate pollutant released from oil and gas operations, landfills, agriculture, and industrial facilities across the country. Even though methane pollution is often invisible, its impacts are very real.

Methane contributes to the formation of ground-level ozone or smog, which irritates the lungs and makes breathing harder. Exposure can trigger asthma attacks, worsen respiratory illnesses, and increase risks of heart disease and premature death.

Methane also traps over 80 times more heat than carbon dioxide during the first 20 years after it is released, making it one of the most powerful drivers of near-term climate change.

Communities living near oil and gas infrastructure, pipelines, and industrial facilities face the greatest exposure. Latino and working-class communities are often disproportionately impacted because many live near these pollution sources.

Cutting methane pollution is one of the fastest ways to protect public health, improve air quality, and slow climate change.

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The EPA finalized strong methane pollution standards for the oil and gas sector that require companies to reduce leaks, venting, and flaring from new and existing facilities.

These protections are critical for protecting public health and holding polluters accountable.

However, federal leaders and industry allies are now attempting to weaken or roll back these safeguards. These attacks threaten to delay enforcement, weaken standards, and allow oil and gas companies to continue releasing dangerous pollution into our air.

At a time when communities are already facing worsening heat, wildfire smoke, and air pollution, rolling back methane protections would put families and frontline communities at even greater risk.

We cannot allow these protections to disappear.

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• GreenLatinos Methane Fact Sheet
• EPA information on methane pollution and oil and gas emissions
• Health impacts of methane and smog pollution
• Latino Climate Justice Framework

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