(A) The feasibility of evaluating the 
amount of methane emissions from covered oil 
and gas infrastructure by region, industry seg-
ment, type of emission source, or any other cri-
terion, 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 in-
clusion 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 deter-
mined 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: 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:59 Jul 06, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4072.IH
H4072
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
(A) How methane emissions data from the 
pilot study or methane census could be utilized 
as a part of a reconciliation process to better 
understand and improve data estimates from 
both top-down methods and bottom-up methods. 
(B) How methane emissions data from the 
pilot study or methane census could identify 
and help to explore any significant discrep-
ancies between top-down methods and bottom- 
up methods for methane emissions from covered 
oil and gas infrastructure. 
(C) Any other relevant topic, as deter-
mined by the Administrator. 
(4) A description of any research or technology 
gaps that were identified during the course of the 
pilot study and could merit additional study to sup-
port the improvement of methane emissions meas-
urement and quantification. 
(5) A description of the methodology of the 
pilot study, which, to the greatest extent possible 
and consistent with appropriate protections for con-
fidential business information and intellectual prop-
erty, shall include a discussion of the following: 
(A) Study design. 
(B) Measurement techniques. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:59 Jul 06, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4072.IH
H4072
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
(C) Efforts to account for additional sig-
nificant sources of methane emissions within a 
region. 
(D) Assumptions and uncertainties in the 
results of the pilot study. 
(d) 
METHANE
EMISSIONS
DATA
INTEROPER-
ABILITY.—The Administrator, to the greatest extent pos-
sible, shall ensure that all data collected as part of the 
pilot study adheres to data and metadata standards to 
support the public findability, accessibility, interoper-
ability, 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 measure-
ment 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: 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:59 Jul 06, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4072.IH
H4072
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
(1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis-
trator’’ means the Administrator of the Environ-
mental Protection Agency. 
(2) 
APPROPRIATE
COMMITTEES
OF
CON-
GRESS.—The term ‘‘appropriate committees of Con-
gress’’ means the Committee on Science, Space, and 
Technology of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on the Environment and Public Works of 
the Senate. 
(3) COVERED
OIL
AND
GAS
INFRASTRUC-
TURE.—The term ‘‘covered oil and gas infrastruc-
ture’’ means the infrastructure used for the produc-
tion, gathering and boosting, processing, trans-
mission, and storage of oil and natural gas in the 
United States. Such term does not include oil and 
gas distribution infrastructure. 
(4) REGION.—The term ‘‘region’’ means any of 
the seven oil and gas regions evaluated by the U.S. 
Energy Information Administration in its May 2023 
Drilling Productivity Report. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:59 Jul 06, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H4072.IH
H4072
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB