U.S. District Judge Daniel Traynor, a Trump appointee, granted the request from five states — North Dakota, Montana, Texas, Wyoming and Utah — to
temporarily block the rule from taking effect while their case against it plays out.
The rule in question requires companies that drill for oil and gas on public lands to come up with a plan to reduce wasted gas and cut down on the release or burning of excess gas.
It also makes companies implement programs to repair and detect methane leaks.
Oil and gas can be co-occurring, and sometimes oil companies will release or burn off some of the gas — which tends to be less valuable than oil — that they produce.
The main component of gas is methane, which is between 27 and 30 times potent as carbon dioxide when it comes to heating up the planet over a 100-year period.
In their request for the rule to be blocked, the GOP-led states argued that the rule is an overreach, contending that regulating emissions and energy issues that should be left to the states.
In his ruling, Traynor sided with them, calling the rule a “significant impingement” on their rights.
Read more at TheHill.com.
