Methane Emissions Research Act

To direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to conduct a measurement-based national methane research pilot study to quantify methane emissions from certain oil and gas infrastructure, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Methane Emissions Research Act 2. National methane research pilot study (a) In general The Administrator, in collaboration with the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and in consultation with the Secretary of Energy, the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Administrator of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the heads of other Federal agencies as appropriate, shall conduct a measurement-based national methane research pilot study (in this section referred to as the pilot study (b) Requirements The pilot study shall— (1) encompass two regions, which shall be determined by the Administrator; (2) identify areas consisting primarily of covered oil and gas infrastructure within each such region; (3) develop and implement methodologies and procedures for a measurement-based evaluation of methane emissions from such infrastructure; (4) assess diverse approaches to the characterization of methane emissions from such infrastructure; and (5) consult with Federal, State, local, academic, nonprofit, and private sector entities, as appropriate. (c) Report Not later than two years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress, and make publicly available, a report assessing the results of the pilot study. The report shall include the following: (1) An overview of the findings of the pilot study pertaining to the quantification and characterization of methane emissions from covered oil and gas infrastructure. (2) An analysis of how the pilot study could support and inform the development and implementation of a national methane census study (in this section referred to as the methane census (A) The feasibility of evaluating the amount of methane emissions from covered oil and gas infrastructure by region, industry segment, type of emission source, or any other criterion, as a component of the methane census. (B) The necessary scope of measurement-based activities within regions in order to carry out the methane census. (C) Any onshore or offshore gaps within the scope of the pilot study that could merit inclusion as a part of the methane census. (D) The estimated budget that would be required to oversee the methane census. (E) Any other relevant topic, as determined by the Administrator. (3) An analysis of how the measurement-based evaluation of methane emissions from covered oil and gas infrastructure, as completed by the pilot study or contemplated for the methane census, could support efforts to reconcile data generated by top-down methods and bottom-up methods with respect to the Environmental Protection Agency’s Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks. Such analysis shall also examine the following: (A) How methane emissions data from the pilot study or methane census could be utilized as a part of a reconciliation process to better understand and improve data estimates from both top-down methods and bottom-up methods. (B) How methane emissions data from the pilot study or methane census could identify and help to explore any significant discrepancies between top-down methods and bottom-up methods for methane emissions from covered oil and gas infrastructure. (C) Any other relevant topic, as determined by the Administrator. (4) A description of any research or technology gaps that were identified during the course of the pilot study and could merit additional study to support the improvement of methane emissions measurement and quantification. (5) A description of the methodology of the pilot study, which, to the greatest extent possible and consistent with appropriate protections for confidential business information and intellectual property, shall include a discussion of the following: (A) Study design. (B) Measurement techniques. (C) Efforts to account for additional significant sources of methane emissions within a region. (D) Assumptions and uncertainties in the results of the pilot study. (d) Methane emissions data interoperability The Administrator, to the greatest extent possible, shall ensure that all data collected as part of the pilot study adheres to data and metadata standards to support the public findability, accessibility, interoperability, and reusability of such data. The Administrator shall consult with the heads of other Federal agencies, as appropriate, to— (1) facilitate effective data sharing regarding methane emissions measurement and quantification data; and (2) ensure that methane emissions measurement and quantification data gathered by such other Federal agencies can be converted to a format that is consistent with the methodologies and procedures of the pilot study. (e) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $20,000,000, to remain available until expended. (f) Definitions In this section: (1) Administrator The term Administrator (2) Appropriate committees of Congress The term appropriate committees of Congress (3) Covered oil and gas infrastructure The term covered oil and gas infrastructure (4) Region The term region

Summary: Methane Emissions Research Act This bill requires the Environmental Protection Agency to conduct a methane research pilot study to quantify methane emissions from infrastructure used for the production, gathering and boosting, processing, transmission, and storage of oil and natural gas in the United States.