[20210714]LSB10622_展望未来：管理石油和天然气部门的甲烷.pdf

CRS Legal Sidebar Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress Legal SidebarLegal Sidebari i Looking Ahead: Regulating Methane from the Oil and Natural Gas Sector July 14, 2021 Congress and the Biden Administration are considering their next steps after enacting a joint resolution disapproving the 2020 regulationknown as the 2020 Policy Rulethat removed some methane emission standards for oil and natural gas production activities. Congress passed the joint resolution under the Congressional Review Act (CRA), a law that allows Congress to overturn certain agency actions in the form of a joint resolution of disapproval. President Biden signed the resolution into law (Pub. L. No. 117-23) on June 30, 2021, effectively restoring the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys (EPAs) 2016 methane requirements. Although most of EPAs 2016 methane rule is back in force, its fate remains unclear because of pending legislative, executive, and judicial actions. This Sidebar examines (1) the history of regulating methane emissions from the oil and gas sector under the Clean Air Act (CAA); (2) the effect of the CRA disapproval of the 2020 Policy Rule; (3) the status of related litigation; and (4) c