Kentucky Attorney General Takes Biden Administration’s EPA to Court, Again

Methane Challenge is Coleman’s Second Major EPA Lawsuit in One Month

FRANKFORT, Ky. (March 19, 2024) –  Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman announced he joined a 24-state lawsuit challenging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) aggressive new regulation on methane gas emissions. The EPA regulation could force Kentucky oil and gas operations to close, throw workers out of their jobs and fuel inflation causing everyday Kentuckians to pay more for goods, utilities and gasoline.

“The Biden Administration’s EPA just can’t seem to help itself. This is another extreme rule that will punish energy producers, undermine workers, fuel inflation on families and threaten our national security,” said General Coleman. “Affordable and reliable energy is a key to our Commonwealth’s bright future, and I’m proud to stand with these hardworking Kentuckians against a radical green energy agenda that would put them out of work.” 

Kentucky is home to roughly 30,000 oil and natural gas wells. Many are relatively small – called marginal wells – and would feel an outsized impact from the new Biden Administration rule. This latest crackdown on domestic energy sources is also likely to drive foreign allies to look for natural gas from our adversaries, like Russia.

"The EPA's finalized methane rule on marginal wells will severely impact our continued ability to provide affordable, reliable energy to our citizens," said Wes Cate, president of the Kentucky Oil and Gas Association (KOGA). "The new regulations will require producers to comply with several onerous, costly and unrealistic reporting requirements that will not yield any beneficial or measurable effects on the environment, above and beyond the industry's stewardship towards responsibly-produced energy. KOGA and its members appreciate Attorney General Coleman's efforts to help thwart the EPA and support the hard-working men and women of Kentucky's oil and gas industry.”

Earlier this month, Attorney General Coleman and West Virginia’s Attorney General Patrick Morrisey led a 24-state coalition to challenge the EPA’s devastating air quality rule. Read more here.

General Coleman joined the Oklahoma and West Virginia-led methane lawsuit along with attorneys general from Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia and Wyoming.

Read the methane rule challenge here.