Methane Monitoring Science Act of 2026

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7416 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7416

To require a Federal science strategy for the monitoring and detection 
                  of methane, and for other purposes.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            February 9, 2026

Mr. Beyer (for himself and Mr. Harrigan) introduced the following bill; 
 which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To require a Federal science strategy for the monitoring and detection 
                  of methane, 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 Monitoring Science Act of 
2026''.

SEC. 2. METHANE MONITORING AND DETECTION STRATEGY.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 18 months after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the National Aeronautics 
and Space Administration (in this section referred to as the 
``Administrator'') shall carry out the following:
            (1) Develop, in consultation with the heads of relevant 
        Federal departments and agencies, a consensus- and science-
        based strategy to assess and evaluate the utilization of 
        present and future methane monitoring and detection 
        capabilities, including ground-based, airborne, and space-based 
        sensors, source- and site-level technologies, and the 
        integration of data relating to such monitoring and detection 
        from other indicators, with a focus on the ability to detect 
        methane emissions and large methane emission events, to 
        strengthen American energy security.
            (2) Submit to Congress a report on such strategy.
    (b) Goal.--The strategy under subsection (a) shall be developed 
with the goal of enhancing the scientific and operational value of the 
capabilities referred to in such subsection, such that--
            (1) the Administrator may use such strategy to inform the 
        planning of relevant research and development activities;
            (2) non-Federal entities, including State and local 
        governments, academia, nonprofit organizations, commercial 
        industry such as the natural gas and oil industry of the United 
        States, and international organizations, may effectively 
        leverage data and information provided or enabled by such 
        capabilities; and
            (3) such data may be quickly operationalized to support the 
        rapid mitigation of methane leaks.
    (c) Enforcement Authority.--Nothing in this section may be 
construed as conferring enforcement authority to the Administrator, or 
the head of any other Federal department or agency, with regard to 
methane emissions, that was not in effect on the date before the date 
of the enactment of this Act.
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