Oil and natural gas companies for the first time will have to pay a federal fee if they emit dangerous methane above certain levels under a rule being made final by the Biden administration. The Environmental Protection Agency rule follows through on a directive from Congress included in the 2022 climate law.

The Biden administration's new rule means oil and gas companies will pay a fee if they exceed certain levels of methane emissions.

U.S. President Joe Biden's administration on Tuesday finalized a methane fee for big oil and gas producers meant to slash emissions of the powerful greenhouse gas, but which is likely to be scrapped by the incoming presidency of Donald Trump.

Donald Trump on Monday nominated Lee Zeldin, a former congressman and early loyalist of the Republican, to oversee US environmental policy, the latest in a series of swift cabinet choices by the president-elect.