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Groups working for environmental justice are concerned a delay in Environmental Protection Agency methane emission rules will put thousands of lives in Utah and across the country at risk.

The agency's 2024 methane rule would have required major reductions in methane emissions and other air pollution from the oil and gas industry. The EPA's move to delay it for 18 months has drawn strong criticism from groups, including WE ACT for Environmental Justice, which said local communities bear the health and economic burdens of this pollution.

Yosef Robele, federal policy manager for the group, said the delay could be deadly.

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"This delay is, unfortunately, more likely than not going to result in unnecessary deaths and increased hospital visits, or continuation of high rates of ER visits; public health burdens being placed on communities near it," Robele contended.

A recent report found air pollution from oil and gas resulted in eight deaths per 1 million Utah residents. The EPA’s own analysis showed the methane rule could prevent 1,500 premature deaths and 100,000 asthma attacks each year.

Utah does not have the same concentration of oil and gas refinery sites as Louisiana or Texas but some neighborhoods face related risks from landfills, gas infrastructure and industrial emitters. Robele warned 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 already struggling with medical costs.

"With increased extreme weather events, as well as many other impacts, this is just going to continue hitting us harder every year that we delay important actions such as this one," Robele asserted.

The EPA has pushed compliance at least into next year, and advocates said they are evaluating legal and policy options to ensure the rule is ultimately implemented. They argued stronger methane standards would reduce pollution, lower long-term health costs and help states such as Utah better withstand escalating climate-related disasters.