Methane Emissions Research Act of 2022
Bill: H.R.8991 | Sponsor: Rep. Johnson, Eddie Bernice (D-TX)
Policy area: Environmental Protection

Summary:
Methane Emissions Research Act of 2022
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.

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.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Methane Emissions Research Act of 
2022''.

SEC. 2. NATIONAL METHANE RESEARCH PILOT STUDY.

    (a) In General.--The Administrator, in consultation with the 
Secretary of Energy, the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and 
Space Administration, the Administrator of the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric 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'') to quantify methane emissions from covered oil and gas 
infrastructure. The Administrator shall employ a technology or suite of 
technologies for methane emissions measurement, research, and analysis. 
To the extent practicable, the Administrator shall consider utilizing 
innovative technologies for methane emissions measurement and 
quantification.
    (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''), to be undertaken on a recurring basis and encompass 
        all seven regions. Such analysis shall also examine the 
        following:
                    (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'' means the 
        Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
            (2) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term 
        ``appropriate committees of Congress'' 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 infrastructure.--The term ``covered 
        oil and gas infrastructure'' means the infrastructure used for 
        the production, gathering and boosting, processing, 
        transmission, 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 July 2022 Drilling Productivity Report.
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