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Wyoming has finalized new rules to address methane leaks across the state, expanding statewide some protections that were applied years ago to address pollution in the Upper Green River Basin.

The new standards increase on-the-ground checks for leaks at new or modified oil and gas facilities, meaning more manpower will be used to ensure infrastructure, wells and productions sites are not emitting fugitive gases.

The move comes at a time when environmental groups nationally are pushing back against the Trump administration for rolling back Obama-era methane standards on new or modified sites. The Obama standards are similar to Wyoming’s approach and would have covered all federal and Native American land in the West.

Industry, in Wyoming, has voiced approval for the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality’s new rules, with the Petroleum Association of Wyoming noting compromises such as enforcing ground-level checks two times a year instead of four. Environmental groups have also applauded Wyoming’s direction, though they are quick to point out that the rules only apply to new and modified wells, leaving three-quarters of Wyoming’s existing industry without the new standards.

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