Charleston Leader

U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito, representing West Virginia and serving as the Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, issued a statement regarding the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) final Waste Emissions Charge regulation. This regulation is part of the Methane Emissions Reduction Program included in the Democrats' Inflation Reduction Act.

Senator Capito criticized the Biden administration's move, stating: "The Biden administration is continuing its anti-consumer agenda by implementing the natural gas tax enacted by Democrats in the Inflation Reduction Act. This natural gas tax will inflate prices for consumers and reduce domestic energy production, which will empower our adversaries abroad." She added that American voters have expressed their opposition to such energy policies and mentioned her intention to work with colleagues and former President Trump to repeal this tax in the upcoming Congress.

Capito has consistently voiced concerns about how the EPA’s Methane Emissions Reduction Program could increase taxes on American energy. In December 2023, she joined other Republican members of her committee in addressing a letter to EPA Administrator Michael Regan. The letter highlighted significant issues with a proposed rule on methane emissions reporting and urged reconsideration and revision of that proposal.