Methane Emissions Reduction Act

Methane Emissions Reduction Act

This bill requires the Department of Energy to carry out a program to reduce methane emissions from flaring and venting natural gas during oil and natural gas production activities.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7435 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7435

To reduce methane emissions from flaring and venting natural gas during 
   oil and natural gas production activities, and for other purposes.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 30, 2020

  Mr. Upton introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
 Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on 
    Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently 
   determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
 provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

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                                 A BILL


 
To reduce methane emissions from flaring and venting natural gas during 
   oil and natural gas production activities, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Methane Emissions Reduction Act''.

SEC. 2. METHANE EMISSIONS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Energy shall carry out a 
comprehensive program to reduce methane emissions from flaring and 
venting natural gas during oil and natural gas production activities, 
recognizing that States are the primary regulators of oil and natural 
gas production activities and emissions, including by--
            (1) providing technical assistance to State and public 
        utility commissioners and officials, representatives from the 
        energy industry, and other stakeholders from State, local, and 
        Tribal organizations;
            (2) accelerating the development and application of 
        technologies and practices to reduce flaring and venting of 
        natural gas;
            (3) maintaining a database that summarizes the relevant 
        flaring and venting regulations in each of the oil and gas 
        producing States; and
            (4) informing the States and other stakeholders of 
        potential options available to economically capture and utilize 
        natural gas.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 270 days after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Secretary of Energy shall submit to the Committee on 
Energy and Commerce a report describing--
            (1) Federal, State, and local policies and regulations 
        relating to natural gas flaring and venting;
            (2) initiatives to accelerate technology solutions to 
        reduce natural gas flaring and venting;
            (3) barriers to the development and commercial application 
        of technologies to capture natural gas that would otherwise be 
        flared or vented; and
            (4) recommendations to reduce barriers described in 
        paragraph (3).
    (c) Technical Conference.--In preparing the report under subsection 
(b), the Secretary of Energy shall solicit input from States and local 
governments and representatives of the energy industry, including by 
convening a technical conference and providing an opportunity for 
submission of written comments on a draft report.
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