By Farah Siddiqi, Public News Service
Groups that work in Florida for environmental justice are voicing concerns about the Environmental Protection Agency putting off a big decision.
The agency’s 2024 methane rule would require major reductions in methane emissions and other air pollution from the oil and gas industry. The move to delay implementing it for another 18 months has drawn strong criticism from groups – including WE ACT for Environmental Justice, which says local communities bear the health and economic burdens of this pollution.
Yosef Robele, federal policy manager for WE ACT, said the delay directly puts public health protections at risk.
“This delay is, unfortunately, more likely than not going to result in unnecessary deaths and increased hospital visits,” he said, “or continuation of high rates of ER visits; public health burdens being placed on communities near it.”
The EPA’s own analysis shows the methane rule could prevent 1,500 premature deaths and 100,000 asthma attacks each year. Environmental groups say delaying enforcement undermines protections for communities living closest to industrial emissions.
Florida doesn’t have the same concentration of oil and gas refinery sites as does Louisiana or Texas, but some neighborhoods face related risks from landfills, gas infrastructure and industrial emitters.
Robele warned that without stronger federal standards, methane and toxic pollutants will continue to worsen asthma, heat-related illnesses and hurricane-driven exposure, especially for lower-income areas that already struggle with medical costs.
“With increased extreme weather events, as well as many other impacts,” he said, “this is just going to continue hitting us harder every year that we delay important actions such as this one.”
The EPA has pushed compliance at least into next year, and advocates say they’re evaluating legal and policy options to ensure the rule is ultimately implemented. They argue stronger methane standards would reduce pollution, lower long-term health costs and help states such as Florida better withstand escalating climate-related disasters.
Public News Service is an independent, member-supported news organization providing “news in the public interest” through a network of independent state newswires. Banner photo: Pollution is released from a smokestack (iStock image).
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