Give Us Regulation, Not a New Tax, Gas Groups Beg Congress
- Drillers and utilities lobby against methane emissions fee
- Specter of high energy bills raised in appeal to key Democrats
Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg
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The threat of a new fee on methane emissions has put the oil and gas industry in the unusual position of pleading with lawmakers for more federal regulation instead.
More than 100 trade groups, local chambers of commerce and other organizations from New Mexico to Pennsylvania are warning that the fee proposed to help pay for Democrats’ $3.5 trillion spending plan would roil energy markets and boost consumer bills nationwide. In a to Senate leaders Tuesday, they argued a far better approach is to rely on existing federal regulations and tougher new mandates the Environmental Protection Agency is set to propose within weeks.