Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced its forthcoming plan to weaken protections against harmful methane pollution. In response, YECA National Organizer and Spokesperson Lauren Kim released the following statement:
“Young Evangelicals for Climate Action (YECA) is both disappointed and frustrated by the EPA’s overhaul of the Supplemental Methane Rule. Methane, a component of natural gas, is a major greenhouse pollutant and is the second largest contributor to the climate crisis behind carbon dioxide. The fossil fuel industry is responsible for 35% of emissions by leaking, venting, or flaring $6 billion in natural gas since 2025.
“We believe the American people deserve strong protections from methane pollution. Methane emissions accelerate atmospheric warming, which worsens public health and safety, weather, our food supply chain, the economy, and many other daily aspects of our lives. Medical research links exposure to pollution associated with methane emissions to congenital heart defects, a 25% increase in children’s asthma, and growing cases of vector-borne diseases like Lyme disease. What is more, global warming triggers extreme weather occurrences such as longer, hotter, and more frequent heat waves. The climate crisis is estimated to kill 250,000 precious lives per year between 2030-2050 and cost us $2–4 billion per year now until 2030.
“Last year, we at YECA responded to the proposed methane rollbacks with dismay for an assortment of reasons, including medical impacts, fiscal waste, and the disproportionate effects on our vulnerable communities. We call on the EPA to stay true to its original mission of protecting the health of the American people and keep methane pollution safeguards in place."
