As priorities in the American energy landscape shift toward securing reliable, affordable, and responsible energy, the United States is once again turning to Texas producers to lead the way. From the Permian Basin to the Gulf Coast, Texas operators continue to meet energy demand while embracing new technologies to lower emissions. Recently, federal mandates and regulations at key agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Energy (DOE) have shifted, enabling operators to streamline processes for energy production and infrastructure development.

In March, the EPA announced 31 deregulatory actions—its largest such initiative in history. Among these were policies that significantly increased costs and bureaucratic barriers to oil and gas development, but failed to actually improve air quality. Removing these hurdles will help lower costs for Americans, remove duplicative or inefficient rules, and empower states and producers to innovate. By reducing compliance costs, producers can now use that capital to reduce emissions through critical infrastructure updates and enhanced environmental controls. These changes also allow states to implement localized solutions that better align with their unique needs and energy priorities.

Similarly, the Department of Energy reversed its pause on LNG export approvals, ending regulatory uncertainty that threatened the U.S.’ ability to deliver natural gas to global allies. In doing so, DOE reaffirmed that regulatory clarity and operational feasibility are key to unleashing American energy dominance.

These actions come at a time when Texas operators are proving that emissions reductions can be achieved without overly burdensome mandates. Many operators across the Permian Basin have voluntarily eliminated routine flaring and are investing in advanced leak detection systems. For example, ExxonMobil remains focused on mitigating nearly all methane emissions by 2030, despite regulatory shifts—and recently announced that they have reduced methane emissions intensity in their Permian Basin operations by more than 60% since 2016.

This progress underscores the need for U.S. energy policy to balance environmental stewardship with operational reality. Rigid or duplicative regulations can stall investments in efficiency upgrades and create bottlenecks in the permitting process. In contrast, smart, collaborative policies allow producers to deploy the latest technologies and scale low-emissions solutions across their operations.

Organizations like the Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA) and the American Petroleum Institute (API) have provided recommendations on how rules like OOOO b/c could be improved to better reflect field conditions and reduce administrative burdens, without compromising environmental goals. These industry insights should be strongly considered during the ongoing reconsideration process.

Texans for Natural Gas has consistently highlighted that the oil and natural gas sector’s emissions progress should be measured by outcomes, not just rulebooks. Thanks to continued investment in emissions mitigation, Texas remains a global leader in both energy production and environmental stewardship. With federal regulators now reconsidering outdated approaches, there’s a renewed opportunity to modernize policy and build on that success.

By recognizing what’s working, and removing what isn’t, Washington can support a regulatory environment that promotes energy security, environmental responsibility, and economic growth. Texas producers stand ready to lead that charge.