Representative August Pfluger (R-TX) and Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) are moving to back small energy producers by introducing a bill to relieve burdensome, Biden-era federal air pollution rules.
The Protect Domestic Oil and Gas Small Business Act amends the Clean Air Act to exempt smaller producers from certain federal air pollution rules designed for large-scale producers that can withstand the added cost.
Rep. Pfluger added that these “one-size-fits-all” regulations fail to consider that nearly all small energy producers operate with relatively low emissions and limited resources.
“Through targeted, commonsense reforms to the Clean Air Act, this bill will help keep small producers in business, protect American jobs and preserve the stable domestic energy supply our economy depends on,” Rep. Pfluger said.
Rep. Pfluger also stressed the importance of these small oil and gas producers in maintaining America's energy independence and supporting local economies.
"America’s energy security depends on the strength of our domestic production and small producers are a critical part of that equation,” Rep. Pfulger said.
As gas prices continue to skyrocket amid the ongoing war in Iran, Dan Naatz, executive vice president and chief policy officer of the Independent Petroleum Association of America, said sweeping regulations like these do not ease the “uncertainty” the gas and oil business already faces.
“Operating costs continue to rise, market conditions for oil and natural gas can be volatile and changing presidential administrations create additional uncertainty,” Naatz said.
This legislation could give power back to small energy producers, he said.
“This bill allows states to manage emissions from low production wells efficiently and effectively,” Naatz said.
Karr Ingham, president of the Texas Alliance of Energy Producers, added that if not changed, costs to oil and gas operators will “without question” increase, lowering total production and decreasing oil and gas jobs in each state.
“They are simply unworkable for smaller independent oil and gas operators and stand to jeopardize Texas oil and gas companies and the wells they operate,” Ingham said.
