Senate votes to allow federal control to limit methane emission A perceived shot at the oil and gas industry with this news from the U.S. Senate, but industry experts don't seem too concerned. Author: Jonathan Polasek (News West9) Published: 11:10 PM CDT April 30, 2021 Updated: 11:10 PM CDT April 30, 2021 MIDLAND, Texas — The U.S. Senate has voted in favor of allowing federal control over methane emissions in the oil and gas industry. This was all done in the name of climate change. "What's crazy is the natural gas industry, the people that produce it, have dramatically changed climate because more people are switching to cleaner natural gas to burn and make electricity than coal and even oil fired power in some different places, so the industry is doing an incredible job reducing greenhouse gas emissions," Kirk Edwards, the former chairman for the Permian Basin Petroleum Association said.