February 11, 2026
2025 Was a Consequential Year for Methane Policy: What it Means for Ohio in 2026
2025 was a consequential year for methane policy in the United States, not because the science changed, but because federal leadership did.
Over the past year, Washington took a series of actions that weakened or delayed some of the most important protections against methane pollution, even as evidence of methane’s health, climate, and economic harms continued to mount. Rules designed to cut waste, protect frontline communities, and hold the worst polluters accountable were slowed, sidelined, or placed at risk.
At the same time, global markets, trading partners, and even major energy companies pushed in the opposite direction, toward stronger methane controls. The result is a growing gap between what science and markets demand, and what federal policy currently delivers.
That gap matters. It affects public health, energy costs, and whether states like Ohio are prepared for a future in which methane pollution is no longer tolerated or ignored. As 2026 begins, state leadership will play an increasingly decisive role in determining who benefits, and who pays, for continued methane pollution.
The Most Consequential Federal Methane Actions of 2025
In late 2025, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized an 18-month delay of key methane pollution protections for oil and gas operations. These safeguards were intended to curb leaks, venting, and flaring, practices that waste valuable energy while releasing methane and other harmful air pollutants into surrounding communities.
The EPA’s own analysis shows that delaying these standards will allow millions of additional tons of methane to enter the atmosphere, along with smog-forming pollutants and toxic air contaminants linked to asthma, heart disease, and other serious health impacts. Environmental justice advocates warn that communities living near oil and gas infrastructure will bear the brunt of these delays.
The Pending Endangerment Finding Final Rule
Perhaps the most consequential federal action now underway is EPA’s effort to repeal the Endangerment Finding, the 2009 scientific determination that greenhouse gases, including methane, endanger public health and welfare under the Clean Air Act.
This finding is the legal foundation for federal methane and climate pollution standards. Rolling it back would not change the science, but it would severely weaken EPA’s authority to regulate methane pollution going forward. The agency is expected to finalize its decision in the near term, making this one of the most pivotal moments for federal climate and air-quality policy in decades.
The outcome will shape not only methane protections, it will transform the federal government’s ability to safeguard public health in the face of worsening climate impacts. See the Ohio Environmental Council’s statement here.
Congressional Rollbacks and Accountability Gaps
In 2025, Congress also moved to repeal the Methane Polluter Fee, a policy designed to hold the largest methane emitters financially accountable for excessive pollution. Instead of encouraging companies to capture wasted gas and reduce leaks, this repeal lets the worst polluters off the hook, shifting health and environmental costs onto the public.
Together, these federal actions signal a broader retreat from accountability at a time when stronger safeguards are urgently needed.
What to Expect from the Federal Government in 2026
Looking ahead, several developments will shape methane policy in the coming year:
- Final Action on the Endangerment Finding, with far-reaching implications for EPA’s authority
- Ongoing legal challenges to delayed methane standards and procedural shortcuts
- Weakened federal reporting and transparency, making it harder for communities to track pollution
- Rising international pressure, as global markets demand credible methane monitoring and reductions
Even if federal enforcement remains uncertain, methane pollution, and its consequences, will continue to demand action.
States Are Still Moving Forward on Methane and Clean Energy
Despite federal backsliding, states across the country are demonstrating that progress is not only possible; it’s already happening.
Colorado: Cutting Methane at the Source
Colorado continues to lead on methane mitigation, adopting standards that go beyond federal requirements. The state is phasing out methane-emitting pneumatic devices at oil and gas facilities on an accelerated timeline, eliminating a major source of leaks and waste. These measures are expected to prevent thousands of tons of methane emissions annually while protecting nearby communities.
Illinois: Clean Energy, Reliability, and Affordability
Closer to home, Illinois recently enacted another major clean energy package, the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act. The law expands renewable energy and battery storage, modernizes grid planning, and strengthens consumer protections, all while reducing reliance on fossil fuels that contribute to methane pollution.
Other States Filling the Federal Gap
States like New Mexico and Pennsylvania are also advancing methane and clean energy policies that protect public health, cut waste, and strengthen local economies. These examples show that state leadership can, and does, matter when federal momentum stalls.
What Ohio Can Do Next
Protecting the Health of Ohioans Through Stronger State Standards
Methane pollution is rarely released alone. It comes with volatile organic compounds and hazardous air pollutants that worsen asthma, increase cardiovascular risks, and pose heightened dangers for children, seniors, and frontline communities living near oil and gas infrastructure.
By adopting stronger state methane standards, Ohio can reduce these harmful exposures, close regulatory gaps left by federal delays, and deliver real health benefits, especially in communities that already bear a disproportionate pollution burden.
Ensuring Affordable and Reliable Energy by Reducing Waste
As Ohio grapples with grid reliability concerns and rising energy demand, including from data centers, methane mitigation can play a critical role in stabilizing costs. Reducing leaks, venting, and flaring keeps more energy in the system instead of wasting it into the atmosphere.
Pairing methane reductions with investments in energy efficiency, storage, and modern grid planning improves reliability without locking Ohio into long-term pollution and volatile fuel costs.
Utilizing Existing Tools to Lead, Not Lag
Ohio has tools available today: stronger methane standards, improved leak detection and repair requirements, better emissions reporting, and more strategic energy planning.
State leadership can fill gaps left by federal inaction, protect consumers and communities, and position Ohio to compete in an energy landscape where markets increasingly demand lower methane emissions and greater transparency.
2025 was a consequential year for methane policy, and its impacts will be felt for years to come. While federal leadership faltered, states have shown that progress is still possible. Ohio can choose to lead, protect public health, strengthen its economy, and build a more resilient, forward-looking energy system, or risk falling behind as markets and neighbors move forward.
