Transparency in Energy Production Act of 2016

To provide for the accurate reporting of fossil fuel production and emissions from public lands, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Transparency in Energy Production Act of 2016 2. Online publication of carbon emissions (a) In general The Secretary of the Interior shall make available to the public through the Internet— (1) information that describes for all covered operations— (A) the aggregate amount of each fossil fuel, by type and by State, produced under Federal leases; and (B) for gas reported, the portion and source of such amount that was released by each of venting, flaring, and fugitive release; (2) information that accurately describes the estimated amounts of existing fossil fuel resources on Federal lands under lease for the production of fossil fuels, and of Federal lands that have potential for such leasing; and (3) information that describes the amount and sources of energy, in megawatts, produced from operating solar, wind, and geothermal projects on Federal lands under lease for the production of renewable energy. (b) Format Information made available under this section shall be presented in a format that— (1) translates such amounts and portions into emissions of metric tons of greenhouse gases expressed in carbon dioxide equivalent using both the 20-year and 100-year Global Warming Potential-weighted emission values; (2) for energy produced from solar, wind, and geothermal projects, includes an estimate of the greenhouse gas emissions that would result from production of the same amount of energy from fossil fuel resources; and (3) allows— (A) downloading in a machine readable format; and (B) accessing the information without payment of any fee or other charge. (c) Data publication frequency The data made available under this section shall be updated at least annually. 3. Accurate measurement and reporting of methane emissions from Federal lands (a) In general Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, if the Secretary of the Interior determines that revisions or promulgation of rules are needed to implement section 2 with regard to methane emissions, the Secretary shall initiate a process under the Federal Oil and Gas Royalty Management Act of 1982 ( 30 U.S.C. 1711 et seq. 30 U.S.C. 181 et seq. (b) Reporting of gases The rules shall include requirements for reporting by holders of leases, to the maximum extent possible, the amount and source of all vented, flared, and fugitive releases of gas resulting from the production of fossil fuels from Federal lands. 4. Report to Congress Every 2 years, the Secretary shall submit a report to Congress that includes— (1) efforts underway by the Department of the Interior to decrease greenhouse gas emissions from covered operations on Federal lands and waters; and (2) plans for future reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from covered operations on Federal lands and waters. 5. Definitions In this Act: (1) Covered operations The term covered operations 30 U.S.C. 1761 et seq. (2) Flaring The term flaring (3) Fossil fuel The term fossil fuel (4) Fugitive release The term fugitive release (5) Global Warming Potential-weighted emission The term Global Warming Potential-weighted emission (6) Resources The term resources (7) Venting The term venting (8) Produced and production The terms produced production

Summary: Transparency in Energy Production Act of 2016 This bill requires the Department of the Interior to publicly disclose the amounts of fossil fuel production, including amounts of gas released (as by flaring), and renewable energy production on public lands. The data shall present amounts of greenhouse gas emissions using the 20- and 100-year Global Warming Potential-weighted emission values and, for renewable energy production, compare fossil fuel-generated emissions resulting from the same amount of energy. As determined necessary to implement this bill, Interior shall promulgate regulations regarding accurate measurement and reporting of methane emissions.