The Senate on Wednesday narrowly voted down a resolution to repeal an Obama-era rule restricting methane emissions from drilling operations on public lands with three Republicans joining every Democrat to preserve the rule.
The 51-to-49 vote marked the first time since Trumps election that Republicans have failed in their attempt to use the Congressional Review Act to overturn Obama-era rules. Thirteen other resolutions, based on the 1996 law that allows Congress to overturn rules within 60 legislative workdays of their adoption, succeeded.
Thursday is the deadline for using the Congressional Review Act this way.
The methane emissions rule, issued by the Interior Departments Bureau of Land Management in November, addresses a potent greenhouse gas that is accelerating climate change.
The rule would force oil and gas companies to capture methane that had been previously burned off or flared at drilling sites. According to federal estimates, the rule would prevent roughly 180,000 tons a year of methane from escaping into the atmosphere and would boost federal revenue because firms pay only royalties on the oil and gas they capture and contain.
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) unexpectedly voted no against a motion to proceed with consideration of the resolution, along with GOP Sens. Susan Collins (Maine) and Lindsey O. Graham (S.C.). Two Democrats who had considered backing the rules elimination Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota and Joe Manchin of West Virginia voted against the motion, as well.
