I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5964 
To reduce methane emissions from flaring and venting natural gas during 
oil and natural gas production activities, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 17, 2023 
Mr. CURTIS introduced the following bill 
OCTOBER 25, 2023 
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the 
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subse-
quently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To reduce methane emissions from flaring and venting nat-
ural gas during oil and natural gas production activities, 
and for other purposes. 
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 
Reduction Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. METHANE EMISSIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Energy shall 
carry out a comprehensive program to reduce methane 
emissions from flaring and venting natural gas during oil 
and natural gas production activities, recognizing that 
States are the primary regulators of oil and natural gas 
production activities and emissions on State and private 
lands, including by— 
(1) providing technical assistance to State and 
public utility commissioners and officials, represent-
atives from the energy industry, and other stake-
holders from State, local, and Tribal organizations; 
(2) accelerating the development and applica-
tion of technologies and practices to reduce flaring 
and venting of natural gas; 
(3) maintaining a database that summarizes 
the relevant flaring and venting regulations in each 
of the oil and gas producing States; and 
(4) informing the States and other stakeholders 
of potential options available to economically capture 
and utilize natural gas. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 270 days after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Energy shall 
submit to the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the 
House of Representatives a report describing— 
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(1) Federal, State, and local policies and regu-
lations relating to natural gas flaring and venting; 
(2) initiatives to accelerate technology solutions 
to reduce natural gas flaring and venting; 
(3) barriers to the development and commercial 
application of technologies to capture natural gas 
that would otherwise be flared or vented; and 
(4) recommendations to reduce barriers de-
scribed in paragraph (3). 
(c) TECHNICAL CONFERENCE.—In preparing the re-
port under subsection (b), the Secretary of Energy shall 
solicit input from States and local governments and rep-
resentatives of the energy industry, including by convening 
a technical conference and providing an opportunity for 
submission of written comments on a draft report. 
Æ 
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