I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2801 
To establish a durable framework for achieving long-term reductions in meth-
ane emissions from the oil and gas sector through advanced detection, 
measurement, and abatement technologies and practices, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 22, 2021 
Mr. PETERS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on 
Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speak-
er, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the ju-
risdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To establish a durable framework for achieving long-term 
reductions in methane emissions from the oil and gas 
sector through advanced detection, measurement, and 
abatement technologies and practices, and for other pur-
poses. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Methane Emissions 
Technology to Help Achieve Net-zero Emissions Act of 
2021’’ or the ‘‘METHANE Act of 2021’’. 
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SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis-
trator’’ means the Administrator of the Environ-
mental Protection Agency. 
(2) COVERED
FACILITY.—The term ‘‘covered 
facility’’ means a facility on the list in effect under 
section 3(a). 
(3) EMISSIONS REDUCTION TARGET.—The term 
‘‘emissions reduction target’’ means the aggregate 
level of methane intensity of the regulated segments 
corresponding to a reduction of total methane emis-
sions by 90 percent by 2030, relative to 2015 levels. 
(4) METHANE INTENSITY.—The term ‘‘methane 
intensity’’ means the unitless ratio of methane emis-
sions to the methane content of natural gas through-
put. 
(5) REGULATED SEGMENT.—The term ‘‘regu-
lated segment’’ means each of the segments de-
scribed in section 98.230(a) of title 40, Code of Fed-
eral Regulations, as in effect on the date of enact-
ment of this Act. 
(6) ROUTINE
FLARING.—The term ‘‘routine 
flaring’’— 
(A) means flaring of natural gas during 
normal oil and natural gas production oper-
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ations in the absence of sufficient facilities to 
reinject the produced gas, utilize it onsite, or 
dispatch it to a market; and 
(B) excludes flaring of natural gas that is 
required to ensure safe operation of the covered 
facility due to an unforeseen condition. 
SEC. 3. METHANE INTENSITY STANDARDS. 
(a) LIST OF COVERED FACILITIES.— 
(1) INITIAL LIST.—Not later than 2 years after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator 
shall list the facilities that are subject to this Act, 
which shall include, at a minimum, the facilities that 
are subject to the requirements of section 98.230(a) 
of title 40, Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect 
on the date of enactment of this Act. 
(2) REVIEW
AND
REVISION.—The Adminis-
trator shall periodically review and revise the list of 
covered facilities under this subsection as necessary 
to ensure sufficient coverage of methane emissions 
from the regulated segments to meet the emissions 
reduction target. 
(b) CATEGORIZATION OF COVERED FACILITIES AND 
REGULATED EMISSIONS.—For purposes of establishing 
methane intensity standards under this section, the Ad-
ministrator shall— 
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(1) group the types of covered facilities within 
a regulated segment into categories; and 
(2) base the standards on the types of methane 
emissions at the category of covered facility, includ-
ing vented emissions, fugitive emissions, and emis-
sions from incomplete combustion. 
(c) ESTABLISHMENT OF STANDARDS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall es-
tablish methane intensity standards for covered fa-
cilities in each of the regulated segments. 
(2) INITIAL
STANDARDS.—Not later than 4 
years after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Administrator shall establish the initial methane in-
tensity standards required by paragraph (1). Such 
initial standards for each category of covered facili-
ties shall— 
(A) be equal to the top quartile of methane 
intensity performance in the applicable regu-
lated segment, as determined by the Adminis-
trator, taking into account the findings of the 
studies under section 7(a)(1); 
(B) ensure that the aggregate methane in-
tensity from the regulated segments does not 
exceed the emissions reduction target; and 
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(C) use the methodologies for calculating 
methane intensity for each regulated segment 
described in the ‘‘Natural Gas Sustainability 
Initiative Protocol’’, version 1.0, dated Feb-
ruary 2021, with such revisions as the Adminis-
trator determines are necessary due to the find-
ings of the studies under section 7(a). 
(3) COMPLIANCE PERIOD.—The initial and sub-
sequent methane intensity standards required by 
paragraph (1) shall each apply for a three-year pe-
riod. 
(4) INCREASINGLY STRINGENT STANDARDS.— 
The methane intensity standards under this section 
shall— 
(A) be increasingly stringent in each suc-
cessive three-year period, consistent with ensur-
ing that aggregate methane intensity of the reg-
ulated segments does not exceed the emissions 
reduction target; and 
(B) be more stringent for each successive 
three-year period, as appropriate based on ad-
vancements in methane-related monitoring, de-
tection, repair, or abatement methodologies. 
(d) NEW AND EXISTING COVERED FACILITIES.—In 
establishing standards under this section, the Adminis-
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trator may subcategorize new and existing covered facili-
ties. 
(e) DETERMINATION OF COMPLIANCE.—On an an-
nual basis, the Administrator shall determine each covered 
facility’s compliance with the applicable methane intensity 
standard under this section. 
SEC. 4. CONTROLLING UNNECESSARY FLARING. 
As part of the process of establishing methane inten-
sity standards under section 3, the Administrator shall es-
tablish regulations that prohibit routine flaring of natural 
gas from covered facilities such that— 
(1) greenhouse gas emissions from nationwide 
routine flaring shall be reduced by at least 80 per-
cent below 2017 levels not later than the end of cal-
endar year 2028; and 
(2) greenhouse gas emissions from nationwide 
routine gas flaring shall be reduced by 100 percent 
below 2017 levels not later than the end of calendar 
year 2030. 
SEC. 5. EMISSION DETECTION, MEASUREMENT, AND RE-
PORTING. 
(a) LEAK DETECTION AND REPAIR PLANS.—The 
Administrator shall require the owner or operator of each 
covered facility to submit to the Administrator a plan for 
methane leak detection and repair, which shall specify— 
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